From the Reading for April 26th -27th
We are continuing with the same FIVE groups and the same format of questions, images, and outside source Group 1
The End of The Golden Age The Decline of Manufacturing (Kimmie Aralar)
How did the US strengthen its relationship with its anticommunist allies?
They promoted the industrial reconstruction of Japan and Germany and new centers of manufacturing like South Korea and Taiwan. The US government also encouraged American companies to invest in overseas plants while allies sought unrestricted access to the American market.
{http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/yen.jpg}
Japanese Yen
What is a merchandise trade deficit?
A merchandise trade deficit occurs when more goods are imported than exported.
What happened in 1971 & 1980 in relation to US manufacturers?
In 1971, the U.S. experienced a merchandise trade deficit. In 1980, almost three quarters of goods from the United states were competing with overseas products. The number of manufacturing workers had fallen from 38% of America's workforce (1960) to 28%.
How did the Vietnam war affect America?
It caused higher federal deficits and rising inflation in America.
outside source: http://historycentral.com
This website states that the Vietnam War caused imbalances in American industry. US factories would have been making consumer goods but were instead making items for the military. The government's military spending also caused imbalances in payments and the weakening of the dollar as the money was going overseas and no funds returned to America.
What was the Bretton Woods agreement?
It fixed the value of the dollar and other currencies in terms of gold.
{http://www.rickscoinstop.com/Coin%20Images/1875A-German-Mark.jpg}
German Mark
What change did Nixon make to the economy in 1971? What did he hope that would better the economy?
Nixon took the United states off the gold standard and ended the Bretton Woods agreement. He hoped that lowering the dollar's value in terms of German (mark) and Japanese (yen) currency would promote exports by making American goods cheaper overseas and reduce imports since foreign products would be more expensive in the United States
How did Nixon's change to American currency affect the world?
It caused instability in the world's economy. Nixon also ordered wages and prices frozen for ninety days. Stagflation
(DELANI DUMPIT)
What happened in the brief war of 1973 between Israel and its neighbors, Egypt and Syria?
Western support (US) went to Israel so Middle Eastern Arab states retaliated by quadrupling the price of oil and suspending the export of oil to the United States for several months.
What effect did this have in America?
American gas stations ran our of fuel or began limiting how much a customer could buy. Because the rapidly growing demand for fuel by cars and factories outstripped domestic supplies, in 1973 the United states imported one-third of its oil.
What did Congress do to promote energy conservation?
Congress lowered the speed limit on interstate highways to fifty-five miles per hour, and many public buildings reduced heat and lighting.
What resulted from the energy crisis of the 1970s?
The energy crisis drew increased attention to domestic energy resources like oil, coal, and natural gas. Western energy grew quickly: Oil was discovered in Alaska in 1968. In 1977 a pipeline opened to facilitate its shipment to the rest of the country. Also, coal production in Wyoming boomed and Western companies benefited from the high oil prices set by OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries).
What is "stagflation"?
It is the combination of stagnant economic growth and high inflation. Rising oil prices in the world economy contributed to stagflation. --Between 1973and 1981, the rate of inflation in developed countries was 10% per year, and the rate of economic growth only 2.4 percent.
What was the misery index?
The misery index was the sum of the unemployment and inflation rates. It stood at 10.8 when the decade began and by 1980 it almost doubled.
What resulted in America due to rising oil prices?
Many Americans shifted from large domestically produced cars, known for high gasoline consumption, to smaller, more fuel-efficient imports. By the end of the decade, Japan had become the world's leading automobile producer, and imports accounted for nearly 25% of car sales in the United States.
Website: More details on the war between Israel and Egypt & Syria
The October 1973 War (known in Israel as the Yom Kippur War and in the Arab world as the Ramadan War) developed rapidly, and the coordinated Egyptian-Syrian offensive caught Israel by surprise. On September 28, Palestinian guerrillas detained an Austrian train carrying Soviet Jews en route to Israel. Subsequent Egyptian and Syrian military deployments were interpreted by Israel as defensive actions in anticipation of Israeli reprisals. For one week, Israel postponed mobilizing its troops. Not until the morning of Yom Kippur (October 6), about six hours before the Arab offensive, were Israeli officials convinced that war was imminent; a mobilization of the reserves was then ordered. <http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/yankee/yomkippur1973.htm>
{http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05/08/article-1018604-03C00DEF0000044D-127_468x367.jpg}
Moshe Dayan and Ariel Sharon (right) during the Yom Kippur War <http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05/08/article-1018604-03C00DEF0000044D-127_468x367.jpg> The Beleaguered Social Contract (VINCE LEUS)
What happened in Paterson, New Jersey?
- Deindustrialization left a landscape of abandoned manufacturing plants.
- Poverty rate reached 20%
- city sold off public library buildings to raise cash
- schools became so run down and overcrowded that the state government took control.
What did corporations do as a result of the economic crisis?
- eliminated well-paid manufacturing jobs through automation and shifting to low-wage areas of the U.S. and overseas.
What happened to Detroit and Chicago in 1980?
- Both cities had lost over half the manufacturing jobs that had existed three decades before.
Why did the Sunbelt states see an increase in population? - Because of the accelerating flow of jobs, investment, and population to the these nonunion, low-wage states.
Labor on the Defensive (Anika Adeni)
Why was the labor movement pushed into the background? It was not always a part of the Democratic ideals, and it worsened as cities found themselves in debt. Cities began to slash public services and budgets. Because of this, the labor force moved into new jobs and took the losses.
What kind of impact did this movement have? It saw the median wage stagnate for 20 years, in which blue collar workers could not find jobs, even as the average income doubled in the same period. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_unions_in_the_United_States
This section talks about how labor union involvement declined in the 1970s, but increased in the private sector. In today’s society, most unions are private.
Felicity Chen
What is an example of weakening of unions power?
1975, the New York City fiscal crisis. Deeply in debt and unable to market its bonds, the city faced the prospect of bankruptcy. Reduction of the city's workforce, severe cuts in the budgets of schools, parks and subway system were just some of the means to a solution for the crisis. Even in the center of unionism, many New Yorkers suffered job losses and decline in public service.
Ford as President (William Tian)
Ford as President
What domestic accomplishments did Gerald Ford possess?
Ford did not have any substantive domestic accomplishments. The Democratic Congress resisted attempts to cut taxes to spur growth and did not react favorably to lessening government regulation. Inflation did fall under the WIN program, but unemployment rose past 9%, the highest level since the depression.
What foreign policy accomplishments did Ford possess?
Ford had a significant accomplishment in the agreement at Helsinki between the USSR and the United States. This recognized the permanence of post-WW2 European boundaries and both superpowers to respect the basic liberties of their citizens. This inspired movements for greater freedom within communist Europe.
This is a link describing the Helsinki Accords. It describes how the Accords were a major victory for the Soviets, as they consolidated their post-WW2 boundary gains.
The Carter Administration (Marissa Phelan)
1. What presidential election did Jimmy Garter win?
Presidential election of 1976, narrowly defeating Ford.
2. Who was Jimmy Carter?
He was a former governor of Georgia and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He later became a peanut farmer and devout "born-again" Baptist.
3. Was Jimmy Carter well known?
No, Carter was virtually unknown outside his state when he launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination.
4. How did Carter run for the presidency?
Carter ran for president as an "outsider", making a virtue of the fact that he had never held federal office.
5. How was Carter similar to the Progressives?
Carter was similar to the Progressives in that his passions were making government more efficient while protecting the environment and raising the "moral tone" of politics.
6. How was Carter different from Progressives?
Unlike the Progressives, he embraced the aspirations of black Americans. His inaugural address as governor of Georgia in 1971 had apologized for past mistreatment of the state's black population.
7. Did Jimmy Carter's presidency impact the black population?
Yes- As president, Carter appointed an unprecedented number of blacks to important positions. An example is Andrew Young, a former lieutenant of Martin Luther King Jr. who became an ambassador to the United Nations.
Web Source: "Most of their neighbors, and young Jimmy's playmates in Archery, were African American, but the rigid code of segregation required the separation of the races in school, in church and other public places..,As Governor of Georgia, Carter worked hard to heal the state's racial divisions, announcing in his inaugural address that "the time for racial discrimination is over." It was an unprecedented statement for a southern governor, but Carter made good on his words. He increased the number of African American state employees by 40 percent and hung portraits of Martin Luther King Jr. and other notable black Georgians in the state capitol" (http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/car0bio-1).
Carter and the Economic Crisis (DANICA HOM)
What did Carter view as the nation's main economic problem?
Inflation, not unemployment.
What did he do to try to solve this problem?
He cut spending on domestic programs and also stopped regulating trucking and airline industries. Carter hoped that the increased prices would raise competition.
What did Carter, a Democrat, advocate that was a Republican policy?
He supported the Federal Bank Reserve as they raised interest rates to slow down economic activity until the prices and the wages fell.
What happened when the Federal Reserve Bank raised interest rates?
The oil prices did not drop as hoped, they continued rising. This did not help reduce inflation.
What did Carter believe about nuclear energy?
He believed that the expanded use of it would help reduce the country's need for imported oil.
What happened at the Three Mile Island?
Three Mile Island was a nuclear plant in PA. An accident occurred there in 1979, releasing large amounts of radioactive steam into the air. This incident reinforced fears that people had about nuclear energy being a hazard to the environment, and brought the nuclear industry to a stop.
Who did Carter seem to blame for the economic decline in his speech in 1979?
He seemed to be blaming the American people for their "self-indulgence and consumption". This did not help his popularity.
Web Source
A picture of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant.
{threemileisland.jpg}
What did Carter believe in the post-Vietnam era?
Carter believed that American foreign policy should de-emphasize Cold War thinking. Combating poverty in the Third World, preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, and promoting human rights should take priority over what he called “the inordinate fear of communism that once led us to embrace any dictator who joined us in that fear.”
What was one of Jimmy Carter’s first acts as president?
Carter offered an unconditional pardon to Vietnam-era draft resisters. In a 1977 address he insisted that foreign policy could not be separated from “questions of justice, equity, and human rights.” He also says:
"For too many years, we’ve been willing to adopt the flawed and erroneous principles and tactics of our adversaries, sometimes abandoning our own values for theirs. We’ve fought fire with fire, never thinking that fire is better quenched with water. This approach failed, with Vietnam the best example of its intellectual and moral poverty. But through failure we have now found our way back to our own principles and values, and we have regained our lost confidence" in the same 1977 address (http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=727).
What was Carter’s outlook on international problems, and what are some examples of that?
Carter’s emphasis on pursuing peaceful solutions to international problems and his willingness to think outside the Cold War framework yielded these important results:
In 1979, he brought the leaders of Egypt and Israel to the presidential retreat at Camp David and brokered a historic peace agreement between the two countries.
He improved American relations with Latin America by agreeing to a treaty, ratified by the Senate in 1978, that provided for the transfer of the Panama Canal to local control by the year 2000.
In 1979, he resisted calls for intervention when a popular revolution led by the left-wing Sandinista movement overthrew Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza, a longtime ally of the United States.
Carter attempted to curb the murderous violence of death squads allied to the right-wing government of El Salvador, and in 1980 he suspended military aid after the murder of four American nuns by members of the country’s army.
He signed the SALT II agreement with the Soviets, which reduced the number of missiles, bombers, and nuclear warheads.
This is a Russian cartoon response to the signing of SALT II.
What are some contradictions in Carter’s moves for human rights?
The United States continued its support of allies with records of serious human rights violations such as governments of Guatemala, the Philippines, South Korea, and Iran, while the American connection with the shah of Iran, whose secret police regularly jailed and tortured political opponents, proved to be Carter’s undoing.
He criticized American arms sales to the rest of the world, but with thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in corporate profits at stake, he did nothing to curtail them.
The Iran Crisis and Afghanistan (Manisha Sahai)
Why was Iran a major supplier of oil and an importer of American military equipment?
Because it occupied a strategic location on the southern border of the Soviet Union.
What happened in early 1979?
A popular revolution inspired by the exiled Muslim cleric Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the shah and declared Iran an Islamic republic.
The Iranian revolution marked an ideologic shift in opposition movements in the Middle East from what to what?
From socialism and Arab nationalism to religious fundamentalism.
What was a short-term consequence of this in the United States?
When Carter in November of 1979 allowed the deposed shah to seek medical treatment in the U.S., Khomeini's followers invaded the American embassy in Tehran and seized fifty-three hostages.
What was the Carter Doctrine, and what effects did it have?
Declared that the U.S. would use military force, if necessary, to protect its interests in the Persian Gulf.
He placed an embargo on gain exports to the Soviet Union and organized a Western boycott of the 1890 Olympics, which took place in Moscow.
He withdrew the SALT II treaty from consideration by the Senate and dramatically increased military spending.
The U.S. funneled aid to fundamentalist Muslims in Afghanistan who fought a decade-long guerrilla war against the Soviets.
Biggest effect: the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan (they were a faction of Islamic fundamentalists)
He cut back on social spending and the federal government's economic regulations, while projecting a major increase in the military budget.
What had happened by 1980?
Détente had been eclipsed and the Cold War reinvigorated.
Group 2
The Rising Tide of Conservatism (Rachel Caoili)
What were the domestic and international dislocations (disturbances) that offered conservatives new political opportunities?
-Economic problems heightened the appeal of lower taxes, reduced government regulation, and cuts in social spending to spur business investment.
-Fears about a decline of American power in the world led to calls for a renewal of the Cold War.
-The civil rights and sexual revolutions produced resentments that undermined the Democratic coalition.
-Rising urban crimes rates reinforce demands for law and order and attacks on courts considered too sympathetic toward criminals. Who were the “neoconservatives” and what did they believe in?
-Neoconservatives are a group of intellectuals who charged that the 1960s had produced a decline in moral standards and respect for authority.
-They had come to believe that well-intentioned government social programs did more harm than good.
-Examples: Welfare not only failed to alleviate poverty but also encouraged single motherhood and undermined the work ethic. High taxes and expensive government regulations drained resources form productive enterprises.
The Religious Right (Janelle Corpuz)
What was the significance of Carter's presidency?
He was the first Christian to become president.
What happened as Evangelical Christians became aliented from a culture that trivalized religion and promoted immorality?
They demanded the reversal of Supreme Court decisions that banned prayer in public schools, protected porn as free speech, and legalized abortion.
How did the Religious Right spread their word?
Used modern technology - mass mailings, televised religious programming, raised funds for crusade
Who was Jerry Falwell? What was his significance?
He was a Virginia minister who created the "Moral Majority," who devoted a war against sin and elected "pro-life, pro-family, pro-America" canidates to office. Also, supporters of abortion rights, easy divorce, and "military unpreparedness" were known as Satans who were threatening God's plans for a better country.
Who was Anita Bryant? What was her significance?
She was a popular singer. After her orange juice campaigns, Dade County, Florida passed anti-gay ordinanace under the banner "Save Our Children."
Internet Source:
This is a picture of Anita Bryant. She was one of the first people to be pied on television for speaking out in public about her beliefs about gay rights. After she was pied, she began to pray to God to forgive whoever threw the pie at her. Her husband ended up finding the activists who threw the pie at her and despite the fact he said he wouldn't do anything, he threw a pie at them too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Bryant
The Battle Over the Equal Rights Amendment (Jessica Gabasan)
Who originally proposed the equal rights amendment (ERA) in the 1920s?
Alice Paul and the Women’s Party
Who revived the ERA?
Second-wave feminists.
What did the supporters and opponents of the ERA argue?
Supporters: Guarantee of women’s freedom in the public sphere.
Opponents: Freedom still resided in the “roles of wife and mother."
What group influenced the failed ratification of the ERA?
Conservative women.
Who was Phyllis Schlafly and what did she insist?
She helped organize opposition to the ERA (anti-ERA)
Argued that free enterprise system was the real liberator of women
(web source) She argued that the ERA would actually take away some of the important rights of women because it treated men and women equally. For example, it would allow women to serve in combat, take away legal rights of wives, and negatively influence family life. http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/schlafly.html
Phyllis Schlaffly
The Abortion Controversy (Nonie Grewal)
What did the abortion movement seek to reverse? - The Roe vs Wade Decision.
(Online Source: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionuslegal/p/roe_v_wade.htm)
- Before the Roe vs Wade Decision abortions were banned in most states and limited in others. Although this Court decision made it so that abortions were legal in America within the first few months of pregnancy without restriction and later on with restrictions. It was part of the 19th amendment and affected a person’s right to privacy.
Who began the movement?
- Roman Catholic Church.
- Church condemned abortion in any conditions.
Who else joined them?
- Evangelic Protestants and social conservatism
What was their argument?
- Life begins at conception; abortion is murder.
- “Right to life” they represented the rights of unborn children.
(Image Source: http://www.ourcrazygovernment.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Roe-v.-Wade-protesters.jpg)
Who was against them and what was their arguments?
- Feminists.
- Argued that a woman should have control over her body including the right to a safe and legal abortion.
- “Right to choose” is the essence of freedom.
What was the anti-abortion first victory?
- In 1976, Congress over President Ford stopped federal funding for abortions and poor women through medical programs.
What are some other things anti-abortion movement took a part in? Was it successful?
- 1990s a few activists bombed medical clinics and killed doctors providing abortions.
- To the end of the century many women legally continued to have access to abortion, but less hospitals and doctors provided abortions.
The Tax Revolt (Viktor Huerta)
What was Prop 13? What happened as a result of it passing?
-Ban on further increases in property taxes
-Demonstrated that the level of taxation could be a powerful political issue
-Helped out businesses and home owners
-Reduced funds for schools, libraries, and other public services
What was the Sagebrush Rebellion?
-Name of bill passed by Nevada Legislature in 1979
-Leaders in western states denounced control of large areas of land by Bureau of Land Management in Washington D.C.
-Insisted that the states themselves have the decision for issues such as grazing rights, mining development, and if fishing and hunting were allowed on public lands
-Underscored the rising tide of antigovernment sentiment
-http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/PVCC/mbase/docs/sagebrush.html
--The website gives examples of problems that people in this rebellion had.
--Reveals that Westerners believed that the region's destiny is being dictated by outsiders who do not understand the West and view it as a dumping ground for problems Eastern states are unwilling to accept.
-Picture: http://www.barbsbooks.com/images/SagebrushREbellion.jpg
The Election of 1980 (Mary Ingalla)
Who were the candidates for each party in the 1980 election?
Candidates for the 1980 election were Ronald Reagan (Republican), Jimmy Carter (Democrat), and John Anderson (Independents).
What did Reagan pledge for his bid in the election of 1980?
Reagan pledged to end stagflation and restore the country's dominant rule in the world and its confidence in itself.
During his campaign, what did Reagan continuously repeat?
Reagan continuously condemned welfare "cheats," school busing, and affirmative action.
What did the Republican platform reverse that it was a long standing supporter of?
The Republican platform reversed the party's longstanding support for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and condemned moral permissiveness.
What helped Jimmy Carter's reputation after leaving the White House?
Carter started to work for the Habitat for Hummanity, an organization that constructed homes for poor families. Also, he was a fundamental part in helping negotiate a cease-fire between warring Muslim and Serb forces in Bosnia and arranged a peaceful transfer of power from the military to an elected government in Haiti.
What did Carter's defeat in the 1980 presidential election implement?
Carter's defeat helped launched the Reagan Revolution, which would help complete the transformation of freedom from the rallying cry of the left to a possession of the right.
Web Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/peopleevents/e_1980.html
Link gives an overview of the Election of 1980 and how the Reagan Revolution began under Carter's Administration.
Photo Link: http://www.de-fact-o.com/php_uploads/Image/ny.gif
The Reagan Revolution
Who did Reagan challenge in 1976 for the Republican nomination?
President Ford What did the Christian Right do?
The Christian Right sought to restore what they considered traditional moral values to American life.
Reagan and American Freedom (Jacqui Liu)
Why was Reagan “underestimated” by his opponents? How was he unlike most modern presidents?
-leaving office at the age of 77, he became the oldest man ever to serve as president
-unlike modern presidents, he was content to outline broad policy themes and leave their implementation to others
{reagan24.jpg} What made him appeal to a large number of Americans?
-an excellent public speaker, his optimism and affability appealed to large numbers of Americans
-made conservatism seem progressive, rather than an attempt to turn back the tide of progress
<< Reagan delivering a speech during his presidency. (oftentimes photographed with patriotic symbols, like the American flag)
Quotes from Reagan
Who did he frequently quote, and why is this significant?
-Thomas Paine: “We have it in our power to begin the world over again”
-repeatedly invoked the idea that America had a divinely appointed mission as a “beacon of liberty and freedom”
What became the watchword of the Reagan Revolution?
-“Freedom” ; the used the word more often than any president before him
In what ways did he reshape the nation’s agenda and political language more effectively than any president since FDR?
-seized on vocabulary of opponents and gave it new meaning
-promised to free government of control by “special interests” ; racial minorities, unionists and others hoping to attack social inequalities
-Justice Department made the principle that the Constitution must be “color-blind”
Reaganomics (Chris Mullen)
How did Reagan's vision relate to/differ from Roosevelt and Johnson before him?
Spoke of "economic freedom", proposed an "economic Bill of Rights".
Instead of using these phrases to support combating poverty and strengthening economic security, economic freedom for Reagan meant curtailing the power of unions, dismantling regulations, and radically reducing taxes.
How did Reagan deal with taxes?
1981
Reagan persuaded Congress to reduce the top tax rate from 70% to 50%.
Index tax brackets to take inflation into account.
1986
Tax Reform Act reduced rate on wealthiest Americans to 28%, (marking sharp retreat from principle of progressivity, one of the ways twentieth century societies tried to address the unequal distribution of wealth)
Appointed conservative heads of regulatory agencies, who cut back on environmental protection and workplace safety rules about which business had complained for years.
What was Reagan's economic program, and what was it called?
Relied on high interest rates to curb inflation and lower tax rates, especially for businesses and high-income Americans, to stimulate private investment, instead of New Deal economics which promoted economic growth by using the power of the government to bolster ordinary Americans' purchasing power.
"Supply-side economics" by proponents, and "trickle-down economics" by critics.
Why did Reagan believe that people would work harder because of the tax plan?
The policy assumed that cutting taxes would inspire Americans at all income levels to work harder, since they would keep more of the money they earned. Everyone would benefit from increased business profits, and because of a growing economy, government receipts would rise despite lower tax rates.
Reagan and Labor
(Jennifer Rillamas)
What was the issue with Reagan and Labor in August of 1981? -In August of 1981 PATCO, the union of air traffic controllers went on strike because of a violation of a federal law. Because of this Reagan fired them all and in their place used to military to control the nation's air traffic system until new replacements were fully trained.
What became widespread in 1980 regarding labor? -the hiring of workers to replace permanently those who had gone on strike
Which sectors employed more Americans than manufacturing by the time Reagan left office? -service and retail
Why did the rate of inflation decline to 3.5% in 1988? -The rate of inflation declined because of a period of expanded oil production that drove down prices suceeded the shortages of the 1970s.
Outside Link:
In this case about the happenings with PATCO in 1981, it gives more of a detailed account of the other side of the operation. The website reports that Ken Moffet, the chief mediator, reported to Reagan that the workers wanted a shorter work week and higher pay. Additionally, the strikers commented saying that without them working thre the air travel would be a disaster, but Reagan proved that to be different, by firing them all. This led to other employers to take after Reagan's doings and simply getting rid of the people as a whole instead of dealing with the situation.
Link:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5604656
The Problem of Inequality
1. What happened to the rich people in America by the 1990’s?
a. The richest 1 percent of America controlled 40 percent of the nation’s wealth, twice their share twenty years earlier.
2. What happened to minority workers during Deindustrialization?
a. It had a devastating effect on minority workers who were often the last hired and the first fired. Thanks to the opening of colleges and professional schools to minority students as a result of the civil rights movement and affirmative action programs, the black middle class expanded considerably.
3. What happened to the income of the middle class and poor class during Deindustrialization?
a. The income of the middle-class Americans stagnated while that of the poorest one-fifth of the population declined.
4. What happened to Jim Crow in the 1970’s?
a. Jim Crow had finally ended in many workplaces and union during the 70’s.
5. Which ethnic group lost the most amount of jobs in the 1980’s?
a. African Americans
6. What percentage of African American workers was jobless in 1981?
a. 20%
7. What were the effects of the closing of the giant Firestone Factory in 1980?
a. In South Gate, a working class suburb of Los Angeles, for example, the giant Firestone tire factory shut down in 1980, only a few years after Black and Latino workers had made their first breakthroughs in employment.
b. My Blue Heaven: Life and Politics in the working-class suburbs of Los Angeles by Becky M. Nicolaides
i. “South Gate lay directly in the line of fire, losing more than 12,500 jobs by the mid-1980s. Weiser Lock shut down in 1979 and Firestone Tire and Rubber followed in 1980; the big blow came when GM permanently shut its doors in 1983. One of the first blacks hired at GM was Charlie Brown, one of more than 4,000 GM workers laid off. Recalling his last day of work, he said, ‘I felt like my whole life that I had worked for twenty-eight years was flushed down the drain….I’m just beginning to see that I mean never have the same standard of living anymore or be able to do what every American wants to do—keeps his kids in college, put bread on the table, and keep a happy home’ Woefully, many of these closures occurred soon after blacks, Latinos, and women made watershed breakthroughs in shop-floor seniority and local union leadership. As Mike Davis has noted, ‘while white workers for the most part were able to retire or follow their jobs to the suburban periphery, non-whites were stranded in an economy that was suddenly minus 40,000 high-wage manufacturing and trucking jobs [in the southern suburbs].”’
The Second Gilded Age
What does the term “Yuppie” mean?
The term Yuppie refers to a young professional who earned a high income working at a bank or stock brokerage firm and spent lavishly on designer clothing and other trappings of good life.
How was Regan popular even though he tripled the national debt to 2.7 trillion?
He was popular because Regan took credit for economic expansion and blamed congressional leaders for the huge federal deficit. How does the “Second Gilded Age” compare to the First Gilded Age?
The Second Gilded Age is comparable to the first Gilded Age because both have been regard as a decade o misplaced values. Buying out companies generated more profits then running them and making deals, not products, was the way to get rich. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080630/henwood
This source claims that the second gilded age is worse then the first on because the people in the second gilded age lived longer and have far greater wealth then that of the first gilded age. The author of this website also states that in the first gilded age it helped cement the United States into a industrial power while the Second did not effect the status of America
Group 3
The Reagan Revolution
How did Ronald Reagan get into politics? (Lizel Mendoza)
In the 5O's, Ronald was originally a New Deal democrat and accepted the spokesmen job for the General Electric Corp, which offered Reagan to tour around reciting speeches. In 1962, Reagan changed his party registration to Republican, and two years after, he gave a momentous speech supporting Barry Goldwater on tv, launching him into the field of politics. A group of businessmen in California nominated Reagan for governor. He won twice, which soon led him to become president in 198O.
Why were some ardent conservatives disappointed in Reagan's administration? (Yoni Carnice)
Even though funding for Great Society antipoverty programs was sharply reduced, the main parts of the welfare state, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which many conservatives wanted to curtail or repeal, were intact. He did little to advance the social agenda of the Christian Right. Abortion remained legal, and many women continued to enter the labor force.
What occurred in Bowers v. Hardwick? (Dhruv Jhigan)
Source: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=478&invol=186
In 1986, the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Georgia’s state laws outlawing homosexual acts. However, in 2003 the justices reversed the decision and declared these homosexual acts unconstitutional. It was stated that it violated the citizen’s personal and fundamental rights. But, due to the laws against gay marriage and what not, the law is still unconstitutional.
Who was the first female member of the Supreme Court? (Dhruv Jhigan)
Source: http://www.oyez.org/justices/sandra_day_oconnor
Appointed by Reagan, the first female member of the Supreme Court was Sandra Day O’Connor. Conservatives tended to really oppose this idea due to her lack of constitutional knowledge and experience. They called her a “wasted nomination”. She graduated from Stanford University and majored in economics. She would later become Attorney General and prove her skills to the American people (she was in office from 1981 to 2006 as the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court).
What did Reagan do in order to reduce the amount of drug use in urban areas? What did the justice department do pertaining to civil rights under Reagan?
(Derek Guterres)
In order to reduce the amount of drug use, Reagan's administration launched a "Just Say No" campaign which aimed towards the reduction of use of illegal drugs. However, this campaign was ineffective because it failed to stop the spread of crack (a potent inexpensive form of cocaine that produced an upsurge of street crime and family breakdown) in urban areas. Reagan's Justice Department cut back on civil rights enforcement and worked to reduce affirmative action programs. But towards the end of Reagan's presidency, the supreme court approved plans by private employers and city and state governments, which upgraded minority employment. http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=41
This website talks about the life of Nancy Reagan. It was actually Nancy that started the Just Say No Campaign and got her husband to endorse it and sign for a "Drug Free America". Nancy wanted to raise awareness of drug abuse and put a gradual end to it, so she tried and started the "Just Say No" campaign, and as a result an anti-drug abuse law was signed under President Reagan. Below is a picture of the Just Say No Campaign.
{http://i.brentozar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/just-say-no.jpg} Reagan and the Cold War
(Janani Ravikrishnan)
What did Reagan think about the soviet union? What was his new strategy? Logical or not?
Reagan called it an "evil empire"-- and sponsored the largest military buildup in American history,including new long range bombers and missiles. It was the strategic Defense Initiative, based on developing a space-based system to intercept and destroy enemy missile.
The idea was not logical and would violate Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972.
Reagan persuaded Nato to do what about nuclear weapons? How did Americans react?
He persuaded them to introduce a short range nuclear weapons into Europe to counter Soviet forces. But the renewed arms race and Reagan's casual talk of winning a nuclear war caused alarm at home.
What is The Day After depicted what ?
The Day after is a television program that aired in 1983 and depicted the devastation that would be caused by a nuclear war
Outside source link to the day after
It depicts Soviet leadership orders troops marched to the border of West Berlin, and then decides to invade West Germany with multiple armored tank & troop divisions
Russians use a nuclear ballistic missile against a West German city, and then attack a U.S. warship in the Persian Gulf. The Americans strike back by hitting a Soviet ship, and then the Russians hit NATO regional headquarters with a nuclear warhead.
{http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/photos/uncategorized/thedayafter.jpg}
What did Reagan come into office determined to do?
He came in determined to overturn the “Vietnam syndrome” as widespread public reluctance to commit American forces overseas.
He sent troops to the Caribbean island of Grenada to oust pro-Cuban Government, ordered bombing of Libya in retaliation for the country’s alleged involvement in a terrorist attack on West Berlin nightclub in which Americans died.
What idea did Reagan embrace in 1979 after rejecting the Carter administrations emphasis on human rights?
The neoconservative writer Jeane Kirkpatrick said that the US should oppose “totalitarian” communists but assist “authoritarian” non-communist regimes.
What happened when El Salvador’s army massacred?
They killed hundreds of civilians in the town of El Mozote in 1981, the State Department denied that the event, widely reported in the press, had taken place.
Why do people associate the El Salvadorian Civil War with the US and what is the outcome of the event? (Lizel Mendoza)
-Why?
The US trained people in that country and was said to have made plans to take down guerillas living in El Mozote and other nearby villages.
They Killed around 5OO
-What?
Turning point in Human Rights
1st Geneva Conventions for assessing human rights abuse in Central America
The Iran-Contra Affair (Bahareh Mehrizi)
What was the Iran-Contra Affair and what was it's significance?
It was {http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/2007/06/11/iran_hostage_crisis_1979.jpg} known to be the greatest scandal in Reagan's presidency. In 1984, Congress banned military aid to the Contras fighting the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. In 1985, Reagan began to secretly authorize the sale of arms to Iran, who was know involved in a war between Iraq. This was done in order to secure the release of the 53 American hostages that were put on trial for 444 days. CIA director William Casey and Lieutentant Colonel Oliver North of the National Security set up a system that gave the proceeds to buy military supplies for the Contras and continued for 2 years. The significance is that the Iran-Contra affair undermined confidence that Reagan controlled his own administration.
Picture Source: http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/2007/06/11/iran_hostage_crisis_1979.jpg
What happened after the Middle Eastern newspaper leaked the story?
When this occurred in 1987, Congress held televised hearings where eleven members of the administration were convicted of perjury or destroying documents, and Reagen denied knowledge of illegal proceedings.
Web source: http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/documents/hostages.phtml
This website explains the Iran- Contra affair as well as the movement behind the hostages.
Reagan and Gorbachev
(Trish Denoga)
What did Reagan do to alleviate the anti-communist rhetoric?
In his second term, Reagan established good relations with Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev, who had come to power in 1985. He sought to reform the Soviet Union's repressive political system and help the economy.
{5gorbachev_reagan1_600.jpg}
What was glasnost and perestroika?
These terms were Gorbachev's inaugurated policies. Glasnost means political openness, and perestroika means economic reform.
What did Reagan and Gorbachev negotiate?
Gorbachev realized that the country's military budget needed to be reduced in order to see a significant change in the country. They had a series of talks between 1985 and 1987. They established an agreement to eliminate intermediate and short range nuclear missiles in Europe. Gorbachev began pulling Soviet troops out of Afghanistan. Reagan left with diminished hostilities between the superpowers and felt that the Soviet's impression as an "evil empire" was one of another era. Reagan’s Legacy
(Trish Denoga)
What legacy did Reagan leave behind and what did his presidency reveal?
Regan's presidency revealed the contradictions at the heart of modern conservatism. He sought to address the concerns of the Religious Right, and advocating a return to spiritual values as a way to strengthen family life and communities. It undermined the values and institutions conservatives thought to be very important to society. It discouraged reliance on government handouts by rewarding honest work and business initiative. His policies inspired a frenzy that enriched architects and the progression of the stock market and economy.
Web resource: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0607-09.htm
Discusses the legacy that Reagan has left behind on America.
What was the perspective of Reagan's presidency after he left office? Why?
Reagan left the presidency with his reputation somewhat tarnished because of the Iran-Contra scandal and the enormous deficits the government had accumulated.
How were ideas of conservatives present in Reagan's presidency? (Derek Guterres)
The vice president, George H W. Bush, defeated Michael Dukakis, who was the governor of Massachusetts, in the 1988 election because Dukakis could not respond effectively to the charge that he was a "liberal" (considered a term of political abuse). This shows how being liberal was looked down upon and being a conservative during this era was a typical thing to be. Conservative ideas of the free market and the evils of "big government" owned the mass media and political debates. People who recieved public assitance were not seen as citiens who had to help to cope with economic misfortune, but they were seen as a drain on taxes. These conservative ideas will be expanded through the 1990s under Bill Clinton. The Election of 1988
Why can the election of 1988 be seen as very “scandalous”? (Dhruv Jhigan)
In the 1988 election, politics was starting to sink to new lows. The television and media reports controlled political campaigns. Senator Gary Hart of Colorado withdrew after a newspaper reported his one night affair with a woman. Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana was ridiculed for factual and linguistic mistakes. Rumors that Michael Dukakis’s wife had burned the American flag in the 1960s started to spread. The Republicans also depicted the threatening image of Willie Horton, a black murderer and rapist who had been released from prison for a while during Dukakis’s term as governor of Massachusetts. In the end the two major Republican and Democratic candidates, George H. Bush and Michael Dukakis, went head to head in the result of Bush winning by 54% of the popular vote.
What was left for Democrats to do after Bush won the popular vote? (Marilen Atienza)
To try to retain control of Congress Democratic success suggested that an electoral base existed for a comeback. But this would only occur if the party fashioned a new appeal to replace traditional liberalism, which had been eclipsed by the triumph of conservatism.
Globalization and Its Discontents 1989-2000 Intro
What is "globalization"? (Yoni Carnice)
The process by which, people investment, goods, information, and culture increasingly spread through national boundaries around the world. This would create a borderless economy and a "global civilization" that would eventually replace traditional cultures. Due to advancements in technology, the sharing of information and trade quickly made its way to all countries allowing for globalization.
What took place during the December of 1999 in Seattle? (Derek Guterres)
Delegates from around the world gathered for a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which was a 135-nation group that was created 5 years earlier to reduce barriers to international commerce and settle trade disputes. However, citizens of Seattle of opposed this meeting and over 30,000 people came to protest it. Their marches and rallies brought together factory workers who claimed that global free trade encouraged corporations to shift production to low-wage centers overseas and "tree-huggers" as some reporters called environmentalists, who complained about the impact of the earth's ecology of unregulated economic development. They were basically protesting about corporations shifting production to low-wage centers, so there was a possibility of job loss. The "tree-huggers" were against the WTO because they believed that free trade was destroying the environment.
What were some of the international institutions that were created and affected the everyday lives of people? What did the demonstrators want from these institutions? (Derek Guterres)
Some of the international institutions that were created were the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and multinational corporations, that operated without any democractic input. These international organizations required developing countries to seek financial aid which would allow their economies to be penetrated from abroad while reducing spending on domestic social concerns. They wanted to increase spending of other countries through foreign means instead of domestic means. The Demonstrators did not want an end to global trade and capital flows, but they wanted the establishment of international standards for wages, better labor conditions and the environment, and greater investment in health and eductation in poor countries.
Why did "antiglobalization" demonstrators not approve of globalization (Yoni Carnice)?
They believed it increased the the creation of wealth around the world, but it widened the gaps between the rich and poor countries, and the haves and have-nots in societies.
What occurred in Seattle in December 1999(Yoni Carnice)?
Delegates from around the world met for the World Trade Organization (WTO), a 135-nation group created fiver years before to reduce barriers to international commerce and settle trade conflicts. But 30,000 people gathered to protest this meeting because they were against global free trade. Protesters were arrested and the WTO gathering disbanded. According to Global Issues, the media failed to highlight the peaceful protests occurring in Seattle, but rather the small percentage of violent ones for sensationalist purposes. Individuals from around the world gathered to protest, but the majority of them did not oppose Global Trade all together. They just did not accept the current rules and regulations involved with international trade. The picture below shows police using pepper spray on possibly violent protesters.
{http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/wp-content/uploads/320px-WTO_protests_in_Seattle_November_30_1999.jpg}
What did the protesters do to during their peaceful protests? (Marilen Atienza)
Some of them dressed in costumes representing endangered species (like monarch butterflies whose habitats were disappearing because of the increasingamount of forests being destroyed by lumber companies and sea turtles that are threatened by unrestricted ocean fishing). They drew attantion to the depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. Due to the heightened use of aerosol sprays and refrigerants, which contained harmful chemicals, it had caused a large hole in the ozone layer. Some self-proclaimed anarchists broke windows at local stores. The police had to seal off the downtown and made hundreds of arrests. The WTO gathering disbanded.
Protesters in sea turtle costumes. The Post-Cold War World
How did the collapse of communism between 1989 and 1991 affect the world? (Anmol Shah)
The collapse of communism opened the entire world to the spread of market capitalism and to the idea that government should interfere as little as possible with economic activity. The Free World triumphed over its communist rival, the free market over the idea of a planned economy, and the free individual over ideas of shared community and social citizenship. American politicians increasingly criticized the regulation of wages and working conditions, assistance to the less fortunate, and environmental protections as burdens on international competitiveness.
What were the effects of the antiglobalization movement? (Anmol Shah)
The antiglobalization movement challenged the social consequences of globalization. The demonstrators claimed that globalization accelerated the worldwide creation of wealth but widened the gaps between rich and poor countries and between haves and have-nots within societies. Decisions affecting the day to day lives of millions of people were made by institutions, such as the World Trade Organization, without any democratic input. These international organizations required developing countries seeking financial aid to open their economies to penetration from abroad while reducing spending on domestic social concerns. Demonstrators demanded not an end to global trade and capital flows, but the establishment of international standards for wages, labor conditions, and the environment.
Link: plato.stanford.edu/entries/globalization/
This website offers much insight to the impacts of globalization to our economy today, as well as the 1990s. Covering a wide range of distinct political, economic and cultural trends, the term globalization has quickly become one of the most fashionable buzzwords of contemporary political and academic debate. In popular discourse, globalization often functions as little more than a synonym for one or more of the following phenomena: the pursuit of free market policies in the world economy, the growing dominance of western forms of political, economic, and cultural life. The Crisis of Communism (Mitra Shokri)
Why was 1989 so momentous?
In April 1989 tens of thousands of student demonstrators occupied Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. They demanded greater democracy in China. The students were joined by workers teachers and some government officials until the number of demonstrators grew to nearly 1 million. In June Chinese troops crushed the protest along with killing thousands of people.
What did the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square spur?
In the fall of 1989, prodemocracy demonstrations spread across Eastern Europe. But unlike it did in the part Gorbachev made it clear that the Soviet Union would not intervene. On November 9th crowds breached the Berlin wall, which had stood as the Cold War’s major symbol since 1961. As a result, in 1990 a reunified German nation took control of East Germany. This was known as the “velvet revolution”, the remarkable swift and almost entire collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
How was the Soviet Union thrown into crisis?
Gorbachev had attempted to reform the economy, which only resulted in deeper crisis. His policy of political openness resulted in long-suppressed national and ethnic tensions to rise to the surface. The Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania which had been part of the Soviet Union since 1940, declared their independence. In 1991 a group of military leaders tried to seize power and overturn the government’s plan to give greater autonomy to parts of the Soviet Union. As a result Gorbachev resigned from the Communist party, which ended it 84th year. In the end the Soviet Union was dissolved and 15 independent nations were created in its place.
How did the Cold War end?
The collapse of communism brought the Cold War to an end. This provided for a great victory for the American and its allies. For the 1st time since 1917 there was a worldwide capitalist system. Although China was still communist they worked their way to market reforms and tried to attract foreign investment. The 1990s would be seen as a “decade of democracy”. Peace was spread throughout the world.
{090526nipTiananmen--124300615007963100.jpg}
This picture shows a student protestor standing before the tanks of the Chinese government in protest of their system of government. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/4/newsid_2496000/2496277.stm
This source is a news report of the day that the Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred. It explains how many were killed and the reason why they were protesting against the government.
What took place at Tiananmen Square in 1989? (martin palanca)
At Tiananmen Square, many student demonstrators occupied the square and demanded greater democracy in China. Teachers, workers, and government officials joined the demonstration and grew to nearly 1,000,000 demonstrators. Also, the students put up a figure with similar meaning to the statue of liberty and called it "The Goddess of Freedom. However, Chinese troops ended the protest and killed many protestors. {http://www.americanthinker.com/Goddess%20of%20Democracy.jpg}
This is the statue which the students put up to represent the Statue of Liberty in China.
What was the velvet revolution? (martin palanca)
The velvet revolution was considered the end of communism in eastern Europe. The symbol of communism and the most prominent symbol of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall, and in 1989-1990 crowds on November 9th broke the berlin wall, and Germany once again, became one nation.
{http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01216/berlinwall_1216894i.jpg}
This picture shows the end of communism and the collapse of the berlin wall. People from both sides of the wall are now converging into one unified people once more.
How did the end of communism and the Cold War affect most of the world? (martin palanca)
-For first time since 1917, capitalism was worldwide.
-China had taken economic reform and hastened to attract foreign investment.
-Nelson Mndela, head of African National Congress, was released and became president under a democratic election.
-Latin America had come to peace from its civil war and civilian government replaced military rule. A New World Order?
What was Bush’s first major foreign policy action? (Dhruv Jhigan)
He decided to return to the old belief of American interventionism, meaning that a country intervene in another’s affairs. During 1989, he dispatched troops to Panama in order to remove the government of General Manuel Antonio Noriega, who was a former ally of the United States who had become involved in the international drug trade. The invasion killed about 3,000 Panamanians and was rebuked by the United Nations General Assembly as a violation of international law. In the end, Noriega was sent to Florida, where he was tried and convicted for drug charges and the United States installed a new government in Panama. (Below is a picture of Noriega).
{panamanian-president-general-manuel-antonio-norieg.jpg}
Why was it difficult for people to know what the characteristics of Bush's so called "new world order" were? (Marilen Atienza)
The sudden shift from a bipolar world to one of unquestioned American predominance promised to redefine the country's global role. People were still new to the whole idea so it was difficult to grasp at first. The Gulf War
(Gaby Lee)
1. Why did America go into this war?
- Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait, near the Persian Gulf (had lots of oil)
- Americans thought that Saddam Hussein (Iraqui dictator) was going to tack Saudi Arabia, longtime ally that supplied more oil than any other country to the u.s.
- H.W. Bush rushed troops in and warned iraq to withdraw from Kuwait or face war
- Opponents said that although Bush said it was to protect the freedom of Saudi Arabia, neither Saudi Arabia or Kuwait were free because they didn’t allowed women to vote
- But Iraqi invasion violated international law so much that Bush was able to get aid and support from a 40-nation coalition committed to restoring Kuwaits independence, support form U.N. and sent ½ a mill American troops with naval armada to region
2. What was Operation Desert Storm?
- It was a swift army operation to drive the Iraqi army from Saudi Arabia
- Thousands of Iraqis and 184 Americans died in the conflict
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA2jitVn21Q
- (H.W. Bush announcing ground war)
- Even if this took place a little less than 2 decades ago, I could feel the tension. The news reports had a sort of somber look on those faces, as though anything could happen. But the thing that really bothered me and that I couldn’t get my mind off during this video was the fact that the president said saddam like Sad-dam. Upon further research, I realized that his son was able to say it correctly, which was good. I don’t know, I find it wrong when the president of our nation cannot say a name correctly because, when you’re the president, it’s not out of ignorance that you say something on national tv wrong, its kind of like an insult.
3. What happened after?
- Hussein remained in place
- U.N. ordered Iraq to disarm and imposed economic sanctions produced widespread civilian suffereing for rest of decade
4. How did this effect Bush’s popularity?
- before the recession and right after this triumph
- bush’s approval rating rose to an unprecedented 89%
{Operation-Desert-Storm.jpg}
What was so significant about the Gulf War? (Marilen Atienza)
It was the first post-Cold War international crisis. Despite assembling a broad coalition, the U.S. did nearly all the fighting itself. It relyed on high-tech weaponry which allowed the U.S. to prevail quickly and avoid prolonged involvement and high casualties, to avoid being like the Vietnam War. The Soviet Union, while in the process of disintegration, remained on the sidelines. http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB39/
This divulges on the Gulf War and its impacts on other parts of the world.
Group 4
Visions of America’s Role (David Hau)
What was President George H.W. Bush’s opinion on the Gulf War?
The President believed that the Gulf War was the first step in the struggle to create a world rooted in democracy and global free trade. Combining the issues of protecting American trade assets and that of restoring the independence of an occupied country, the Gulf War reinforced American dedication to supporting the flow of goods around the world and protecting the sovereignty of friendly nations.
UNSCR 678, the official declaration of war by the U.S. against Iraq after the invasion of Kuwait.
What were the two main visions of America’s role in the post-Cold War world?
General Colin Powell, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dick Cheney, the secretary of defense, outlined the two different visions of the future. Powell predicted that the world would be in a turbulent state of uprisings and conflict, and that the U.S. had to clearly define the requirements for intervening in foreign affairs, lest it become a “global policeman.” Cheney, on the other hand, advocated the immersion of the U.S. in world affairs, claiming that, since the Soviet Union had fallen as a world power, it was up to the United States to reshape the world and prevent the return of hostile powers.
Colin Powell:
{http://jonesview.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/colin-powell.jpg}
Dick Cheney:
{http://samuelatgilgal.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/dick_cheney_3x4.jpg}
The Election of Clinton (Rhea Vera)
How did Clinton win the Democratic nomination in 1992? Clinton combined social liberalism, supporting abortion rights, gay rights, and affirmative action for racial minorities, with elements of conservatism, pledging to reduce government bureaucracy and promising to “end welfare as we know it” (a Republican idea. He was a charismatic campaigner who conveyed sincere concern for voters’ economic anxieties. http://www.4president.org/brochures/billclinton1992brochure.htm This source provides more information on the policies Clinton brought up for his campaign.
"America is in trouble. Our people are hurting. The rich keep getting richer and the politicians just seem to be taking care of themselves. It's time we took care of our own. If America's not strong enough at home, we'll never be able to stand up for what we believe in around the world. National security begins at home."
- Bill Clinton
What did Clinton do to counter Republican rhetoric? He urged voters to blame their woes on “welfare queens” and others who cheated honest taxpayers. He also argued that deindustrialization caused rising inequality and the loss of good jobs.
Why was Bush considered unpopular during these elections times? Bush was not in tough with the day-to-day lives of ordinary Americans. He was weakened when Pat Buchanan, a conservative leader gave a fiery televised speech at the Republican national convention that declared cultural war against feminists, and supporters of abortion rights. This seemed to confirm the Democratic image of Republicans as intolerant and divisive. Bush’s popularity went from 89% in 1991 to 29% in 1992.
Who was the third candidate of the election? The third candidate was the eccentric Texas billionaire Ross Perot. He attacked Bush and Clinton as lacking economic “know-how to deal” with the recession and the increasing debt. His popularity at one point surpassed Clinton and Bush which showed the dissatisfaction with the major parties. His support gradually faded as election day approached.
Clinton in Office (megha koduri)
Q1: What had Clinton done differently from Reagan and Bush during his first two years of presidency?
A1: He appointed several blacks and women to his cabinet, including Janet Reno, the first female attorney general, and named two supporters of abortion rights, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, to the supreme Court. He modified the military's strict ban on gay soldiers, instituting a "don't ask, don't tell" policy by which officers would not seek out gays for dismissal from the armed forces. His first budget raised taxes on the wealthy and significantly expanded the earned income tax credit. He obtained congressional approval of NAFTA.
Q2: What was NAFTA?
A2: NAFTA stands for North American Free Trade Agreement, a treaty negotiated by Bush that created a free trade zone consisting of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It Eliminated all tariffbarriers on agricultural items between the United States and Mexico.
Web Source: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/policy/nafta/nafta.asp
Primary Source: {/Users/mkoduri/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg} http://z.about.com/d/usliberals/1/0/R/3/NAFTAlogo.png
Q3: How Did Hillary Clinton factor into Clinton's policies?
A3: Hillary impacted the mjor policy initiative of Clinton's first term. Hillary was a lawyer who had pursued an independent career after their marriage, to address the rising cost of healthcare and the increasing number of Americans who lacked health insurance. Her plan would have provided universal healthcare through large groupings of organizations like HMOs.
Q4: Why did this plan fail?
A4: DOctors and health insuance and drug companies attacked this idea, fearing government regulations that would imit reimbursement for medical procedures, insurance rate and the price of drugs. It was too complex for most voters and vulnerable to criticism for further expanding the unpopular federal bureaucracy.
The “Freedom Revolution” (Crystal Paz) Why did voters in 1994 turn against the administration?
Voters did this because of how the economy was recovering slowly from the recession and Clintons first two years in office seemed lacking in significant accomplishments. What happened when Republicans won control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the 1950s?
After they gained control, they proclaimed their triumph the “Freedom Revolution”. And Newt Gingrich, a conservative congressman from Georgia and the new Speaker of House, was behind the whole campaign. What was Gingrich’s platform?
He made a platform called the “Contract with America” which promised to curtail the scope of government, cut back on taxes and economic and environmental regulations, overhaul the welfare system, and end affirmative action.
In this website: http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html
They go into more detail about Gingrich’s Contract with America and its plans and goals.
For Example: FIRST, require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress; SECOND, select a major, independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste, fraud or abuse; THIRD, cut the number of House committees, and cut committee staff by one-third; FOURTH, limit the terms of all committee chairs; FIFTH, ban the casting of proxy votes in committee; SIXTH, require committee meetings to be open to the public; SEVENTH, require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase; EIGHTH, guarantee an honest accounting of our Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting. What did the House do once the Republicans saw their electoral triumph as an endorsement of the Contract?
The House approved deep cuts in social, educational, and environmental programs, including the popular Medicare system. Since the president and Congress could not meet an agreement on a budget, the government in December of 1995 shut down all nonessential operations, including Washington, D.C., museums and national parks. What did Gingrich do wrong in his assumptions about the public and what did this assumption lead to?
He had assumed that the public shared his own ideological convictions but he soon found that they had voted against Clinton, not for the use of the Contract with America. Most Americans blamed Congress for the impasse, and Gingrich’s popularity dropped greatly.
Clinton’s Political Strategy How did Clinton build his popularity? (Pooja) He campaigned against a radical Congress, just like Truman did in 1946. He opposed the most extreme parts of his opponents' campaign, while adopting others. He didn't adopt the Democratic Party's stance on liberalism and even stated that "the era of big government is over." He also approved the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed restrictions from broadcasting and telephone companies.
(Akhil Puri)
What did Clinton do in 1996 regarding welfare?
Despite strong protests from many Democrats, Clinton singed a Republican Bill that abolished welfare - or, in other words, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Abolishing welfare was one of Clinton's primary goals, and he succeeded. To replace the AFDC, the government gave out grants of money to the states - alongside strict limits on how long recipients could receive their payments.
{http://libertarianviewpoint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/welfare_one.jpg} Welfare In Simple Terms
What was Clinton's political strategy called?
Clinton's political strategy was called triangulation by his commentators. This meant accepting and embracing the Republican's most popular strategies while leaving his opponents with positions that were unpopular among suburban middle-class voters. This strategy worked well because the Republicans claims that the Democrats were the party of high taxes and lavish spending were now invalid. Clinton then won the Presidential Election of 1996, becoming the first democrat to be elected for two terms since FDR.
Outside Source: Definition of Triangulation
This source is very useful in describing the concept of triangulation. Bill Clinton placed himself in the "middle" of the two parties using this policy. According to the source, "A candidate trying to utilize triangulation is trying to avoid the pitfalls of placing themselves on either end of the traditional Left-Right political system." By staying this neutral, the candidate avoids being caught up in a political war and avoids making numerous enemies.
Clinton and World Affairs (Matthew Do)
What was Clinton’s primary political interest? Success?
- Clinton’s primary political interest concerned around domestic and not international affairs. The thing was that the United States now indisputably the world’s dominant power, Clinton, like Carter took the steps to encourage the settlement of long-standing international conflicts to and also the to raise the support for human rights to a more central place in international relations. He had relatively mixed success.
What was the 1993 agreement about?
- The 1993 agreement that was negotiated at Oslo, Normandy, in which Israel for the first time recognized the legitimacy of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Oslo accord seemed to outline a rise to the Mideast peace. But the problem was that neither side was willing to implement them fully. Another issue was that the Isreali governments still continue to build Jewish settlements on Palestinian land in the West Bank (a part of Jordon that Israel had kept during the 197 Six-Day War).
- This New Palestine authority proved itself to be corrupt, powerless, and unable to curb the growth of groups bent on violence against Israel.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO): http://fas.org/irp/world/para/plo.htm
Talked about how this website was founded in 1964 and was dedicated to establishing an independent Palestinian state.
What made these issue so difficult for Clinton to face? - Clinton found it hard to balance all of these concern for human rights with strategic and economic interests and to also formulate clear guidelines for humanitarian interventions overseas. An example would be the United States that did nothing in 1994 with all the tribal massacres that was happening in Rwanda. In Central America, over 800l people were killed and 2 million refugees fled the country. Carter actually took the lead in negotiations and the Clinton administration in 1994 created the peaceful return to power of Haiti's elected president. The whole issue of balancing and trying to create economic growth was tough on Clinton's part.
The Balkan Crisis (Alex Chen)
What happen in the Balkan Peninsula in the 1990s?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, countries within in the Balkan Peninsula in the former country of Yugoslavia dissolved into 5 new states. Ethnic clashes began occur between the new countries. In 1992, the Christian Serbs in Bosnia launched an attack against the Muslims and Croats aimed at driving them out. The Serbs conducted, the newly coined, "Ethnic cleansing" against the Croats and Muslims. Such conduct included mass murder and rape. 100,000 Bosnians died by 1993.
How did NATO's role change after the fall of the Soviet Union?
After the fall of their main adversary, the Soviet Union and with it the Warsaw Pact, NATO changed its purpose in the world from one against Communism to one fighting for human rights. In the Balkans, NATO conducted air strikes against the Bosnian Serbs with American airplanes, with additional 20,000 Americans acting as peacekeepers. When a similar thing happen in 1998 with the Yugoslavian and Serbs fighting the Albanians in Kosovo, they organized a two-month long war against Yugoslavia.
Human Rights (Katrina Torres)
How did human rights play an increasingly important role in international affairs? Hundreds of nongovernmental agencies throughout the world defined themselves as protectors of human rights and they expanded to include access to health care, women's rights, and rights of indigenous peoples. International organizations monitored how governments treated their citizens and strongly influenced world public opinion.
What happened in response to human rights in other countries? The Rwandan genocide sentenced the UN-sponsored war crimes prime minister to life in prison. Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic was put on trial for sponsoring the massacre of civilians. It was still questionable whether or not we would become an international system of protecting human rights across national boundaries because even though countries adopted human rights, many governments violated these laws in practice.
{http://wiki.provisionslibrary.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/human_rights_first.jpg} A New Economy? (Matt Chen)
What was the basis of Clinton's popularity?
It was his success in improving the American economy from the mid 90s to late 90s. Unemployment stood bleow 4%, which was remarkable because it was only in the 1960s that this happened.
Why was he successful?
Inflation did not increase; world wide oil production kept the cost of energy low. Weak unions also made it difficult for workers to raise wages and corporations to increase pricing. Economic growth produced rising tax revenues, so Clinton also produced budget surpluses.
Some Key facts about Clinton's Success
-growth averaged 4.0 percent a year, compared to 2.8 to Reagan's. It went up for 116 months, the most in history.
- created the most jobs. 22.5 million jobs in less than 8 years.
-average family income up to $6000.
-low unemployment
-highest home ownership rate (67.7%).
-lowest inflation since 1960s
-largest surplus: 237 Billion.
The Computer Revolution
(Francesca Rebosura) Why was the 1990s a dawn of a “new economy?”
It was a time in which computers and the Internet would produce new efficiencies. In addition, it was a time in which the production and sale of information would occupy the central place once held by the manufacture of goods.
When were the first computers created and what were they like?
Computers had first been developed during and after WWII. They were used to solve scientific problems and do calculations that consisted of enormous amounts of data. These early computers were quite large, slow, and expensive. http://aptalkutusu.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/eniac-1.jpg
What spurred the development of improved computer technology?
Developments were done because of the space program in the 1960s and the research done for it. Such developments that came about included the miniaturization of parts, which was a result of the development of the microchip.
What was technological advancement transformed America?
The computer transformed America, especially after the marketing for home and business computers done by companies, like Apple and IBM, done in the 1980s. Web Source: The first computers were called the ENIAC and it was developed in 1946. The Manchester Mark was created 2 years later. Years later, companies would be created in order to make more mass produced and used computers; Apple was one such country. Apple was created by two Californians:, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. They came together to produce products like the Apple I, Apple II, Apple’s floppy disk, and much more. It later began three projects that would greatly affect its future: Sara, Lisa, and Macintosh. http://lowendmac.com/orchard/05/origin-apple-ii-computer.html
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs: the Creators of Apple http://www.mac-history.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/steve_wozniak_steve_jobs1.jpg
What was the Internet first developed for?
It was developed as a high-speed military communications network for the military.
How did the computer transform the American workplace and private life? (Pooja) Computers soon became essential to the operation of businesses, such as clerical work, banking, architectural design, medical diagnosis, and factory production. By 2000, nearly half of all American households owned a personal computer, which could be used for entertainment, shopping, and sending and receiving emails. According to this source the first personal computer was the IBM 610 Auto-Point Computer. It was reportedly priced at $55,000, or it could be rented for $1150 per month. The computer was a large cabinet that contained a magnetic drum, arithmetic control circuitry, a control panel, and separate paper-tape readers and punches for program and data. A picture of what it looked like is also included in the web source.
How is the spread of American culture closely tied to the Internet?
Due to the fact that English emerged as the dominant language on the Internet, the global spread of American culture was accelerated.
What are “netizens?”
They are citizens of the Internet.
Group 5
Global Economic Problems
(David Rasay)
How was the role of America in the 90s similar to that after WWII?
America rose and expanded economically in these two periods. In these periods, other countries around the world were in economic crises, notably Eastern Europe. Once again, America acted as an imperial power, helping these weakened countries around the world.
What advice did Russia take from the Clinton Administration and free market economists in an attempt to get out of a recession?
Russian President Boris Yeltsin presided over a policy of “shock therapy” that privatized state-owned enterprises and imposed sever cuts in wages and in guaranteed jobs, health care, and housing Russians had become used to under communism. **http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG** Why was this effort unsuccessful?
Foreign investors and a new Russian business class (many of them Yeltsin’s relatives and cronies, and former party officials) reaped a windfall of profits, while most of the population plunged into poverty.
How was the problem of debt only exacerbated by the International Monetary Fund?
In Asia, a sharp decline of the value of Thai currency occurred in 1997. This was met with bailouts by massive loans from the IMF, which inspired criticism that globalization increased social inequality. Foreign investors had their loans repaid, but receiving nations were required to balance their budgets by stringent cutbacks in public spending, so that the burden fell disproportionately on the poor.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/1997/pr9737.htm
In this document, it outlines the specific actions taken by the IMF and what is needed to rebound from the economic decline from the time. However, the most interesting part is the part about what lies ahead. From what is written, they seemed hopeful and confident in the success of the bailout. It is then interesting to note that it seems the burden upon the poor came as a surprise.
The Stock Market Boom and Bust
(Maria David) ::What did economic growth and talk of a new economy spark in the U.S? What did investors do because of this spark?
-It sparked a frenzied boom in the stock market that was reminiscent of the 1920s. Investors poured funds into stocks, spurred by the rise of discount and online firms that advertised aggressively and charged lower fees than traditional brokers. ::By 2000 what did a majority of American households own?
-They owned stocks directly or through investment in mutual funds and pension and retirement accounts. ::What were investors attracted to? What were they and what did they seem to symbolize?
-Investors were attracted to the new "dot coms". They were companies that conducted business via the internet and seemed to symbolize the promise of the new economy. ::What happened to Standard and Poor's index of 500 stocks? What was the NASDAQ and what happened to it's stock?
-Standard and Poor's index of 500 stocks increased 20% or more each year from 1996 to 1999. The NASDAQ was a stock exchange dominated by new technology companies and it rose 500% from 1998-1999. nasdaq ::What happened on April 14, 2000? What happened to the value of the NASDAQ?
-The bubble burst. The stocks suffered their largest one day drop in history. They did not recover and for the first time since the Depression stock prices declined for three successive years (2000-2002) and wiped out billions of dollars in American's net worth and pension funds. The value of the NASDAQ stocks fell by nearly 80% between 2000-2002.
--->The Nasdaq composite fell another % on Friday the 14th of April 2000 signaling the end of a remarkable speculative high-tech bubble starting in spring of 1997. NASDAQ crash U.S. stocks plummeted Friday, capping off five days of stunning losses that handed the Nasdaq composite index its worst weekly performance of all time and the Dow Jones industrial average its steepest one-session point loss in history.Nasdaq, Dow take nosedive . ::What happened because of the burst? What happened by 2001?
-Stock brokerage firms "downsized" their staffs, state and federal tax revenues plummeted, and technology companies that had expended hundreds of billions of dollars of investors' funds disappeared. By 2001 the American economy had fallen into a recession.
The Enron Syndrome (jason Chong)
What was the cause of the stock market boom in the 1990's
People realized after the fall that the stock market rise was due to a large amount of fraud. During the late 1990s, accounting firms like Arthur Andersen, giant banks like J.P. Morgan, Chase and Citigroup, and corporate lawyers pocketed extravagant fees for devising complex schemes to help push up companies/ stock prices by hiding their true financial condition.
Who was Enron and what did they do in relation to the fraud of the stock market?
Enron Is a Houston-based energy company that epitomized the new economy. They bought and sold electricity instead of actually making it themselves and reported as profits billions of dollars in loss.
What did the boards of companies do in secret involving former corporate leaders?
They secretly used money to pay for the private life of former business leaders, like for food and house, and even a private jet.
At the hight of the 1990's who was left to represent the public interest?
There was no one left to represent the public interest because both the republican government and president Clinton embraced the government policy to retreat from economic regulation.
How were the governments current actions in regards to the New Deal?
Many of the New Deal acts were repealed and it was lack of regulation instead of major regulation.
Rising Inequality
(Mariel Hernandez)
1. Why is this section called " Rising Inequality"?
Rising Inequality was about the economic downturn in the U.S. by 2000 although average real wages and family incomes began to rise in truth inflation remained below the level in the 1970s. Basically the rich became richer while poor and middle class wages and income decreased. For example, Bill Gates creator of Microsoft and the country’s richest man at the time owned about the bottom of 40 percent of the American population together. In addition the average CEO’s salary was twenty six times the annual income of the regular worker.
2. What happened to the U.S. economy in 2000 concerning oversea and home manufacturing?
The U.S. economy stayed stable but instead of manufacturing in the U.S. many manufactured overseas because the prices were cheaper which in effect lost jobs for middle class and poor. Which enforces the ideals of rising inequality as the heads of the manufacturing company found cheaper ways to manufacture goods the poor and the middle class would suffer.
3. What is the NAFTA? And how do they relate to international manufacturing jobs?
-The NAFTA was the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico and these let goods to travel through their border without tax.
-In relation with economy, with this act an industrial zone emerged south of the U.S. so America manufacturers built plants in Mexico for cheap labor, less safety and environmental rules, which decreased jobs and some companies, were even threatened to close.
4. What happened to unions?
Unions decreased because with the decline of jobs came along with the decrease of the union. And because the union started to fade many workers became part time and many didn’t enjoy fringe benefits such as union contracts, Medicare, or health insurance.
5. What happened to the suburbs by the end of the 20thcentury?
Suburbia increased about 2/3 of the nations jobs were created in the suburbs. Many didn’t commute to the city as they did before and this also effected segregation in the suburbs it was less segregated in contrast with the past however, segregation between different social classes in the suburbs were still visible.
I decided to go in further research with the whole topic of rising inequality because I thought it was really interesting and I never really heard of this phrase before and it reminded me a lot about the golden age and the couch although it seemed beautiful and affluent it did have problems inside like how there were minor growth during the 21st century but it still didn’t present any progress. And the link talks about the causes of income of Inequality and how to prevent it. http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=13578
Here is a comic about NAFTA and the problems with economy and manufacturing. Impeachment and the Election of 2000
(Jordan Overshoun-Hall)
Who ran for President in 2000?
Al Gore was the Democratic nominee. He was Clinton's Vice President. His running mate was Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. He was the first Jewish vice-presidential nominee.
George W. Bush was the Republican nominee. He was the governor of Texas and the son of former President, George H. Bush (he preceded Clinton). His running mate was former secretary of defense, Dick Cheney.
How was the election of 2000 one of the closest and most disputed in the nations history?
Both Bush and Gore carried about half of the Electoral Votes and Popular Votes. Gore had more popular votes, and Bush had more electoral votes.
Which state called for recount and how did it affect the election results?
Florida's votes had to be recounted as ordered by the Supreme Court. The recount ended December 12, 2000 and George W. Bush became the president.
What factors could have altered the results?
Democrats blamed Ralph Nader (Green Party), because had he not run, those votes may have gone to Gore. In one county, a faulty ballot caused several thousands of Gore voters to cast their vote to Pat Buchanan (Conservative). Had this mishap not happen, Gore would have been President. In Florida, 600,000 persons who were mainly black and latino had lost their right to vote after being convicted of felony.
The Impeachment of Clinton
(Carissa Quiambao)
What were previous cases from which political figures were charged for sexual misconduct?
Federalists accused Thomas Jefferson of having sexual relations with his slave Sally Hemmings, a charge apparently confirmed by DNA tests during the 1990s. Gary Hart had been driven from the 1988 campaign because of an extra-marital liaison. In 1991, Senate hearings on the nomination to the Supreme Court of Clarence Thomas, a black conservative, became embroiled in
What charge of misconduct got Clinton to be the second president impeached and tried before Senate?
In 1998, it became known that Clinton carried on an affair with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. Kenneth Starr, a special counsel who had been appointed to investigate Whitewater (to be mentioned later), issued a lengthy report containing almost pornographic details of Clinton's sexual acts with the young woman and accused the President of lying when he denied the affair in a deposition for the Jones lawsuit. In December that year, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice. Early 1999, the vote took place and neither charge mustered a simple majority, let alone the two-thirds necessary to remove Clinton from office.
What were other charges of misconduct bedeviled to Clinton?
In 1993, an investigation began of an Arkansas real-estate deal known as Whitewater, from which he and his wife had profited. The following year, an Arkansas woman Paula Jones, filed a civil suit charging that Clinton had sexually harassed her while he served as governor of that state.
{http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/rrs/lowres/rrsn77l.jpg} http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/rrs/lowres/rrsn77l.jpg
What appalled Americans far more than the president irresponsible behavior?
The obsession of Kenneth Starr and members of Congress with Clinton's sexual acts. Clinton's impeachment was considered to be a juvenile escapade to many. Clinton's continuing popularity throughout the impeachment controversy demonstrated how profoundly tradition attitudes toward sexuality morality had changed.
Outside Source: The Clinton Impeachment, a Basic Chronology http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/johnson/clintontimeline.htm
This website contains a chronological time line of the events which led to the impeachment of President Clinton. It beings in June 1995, when 21 year old Monica Lewinsky comes to the White as "an unpaid intern in the office of Chief of Staff Leon Panetta". According to the website, Lewinsky and the President begin their sexual relationship November of that year. It then proceeds to explicate the events involving Lewinsky and Clinton for ever year following the beginning of their alleged relationship. For instance, in 1996 Lewinsky tells employee Linda Tripp of the relationship. 1997 are allegations against Clinton of sexual harassment and the Jones's lawsuit, and marks her last visit to the White House. 1998 marks the beginning of the investigation by Starr, the accusation, and the denial of the allegations by the President. In 1999, Clinton is impeached, then acquitted.
The Disputed Election
(Julia Wrona)
Who ran for the 2000 elections?
-Al Gore was nominated by the Democrats with Joseph Lieberman as the first Jewish vice-president nominee
-George Bush was nominated by the Republicans with Dick Cheney as his vice-president True/false: This was one of the closest election in the nation's history
-True Why was a demand to recount ballots in Florida?
-There was a widespread confusion at the polls and there were claims of irregularities in counting the ballots. This caused the winner not be known until a month after election day. How did Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, play a role in the 2000 election?
-Jeb Bush was the state governor of Florida at the time and when the court ordered a halt to the recounting of Florida ballots he was allowed to certify that the Republican candidate had carried the state and therefore won the presidency. What were the electoral votes for Bush and Gore for Florida?
-Bush carried 255 electoral votes and Gore carried 246 causing the recount of the ballots in Florida and a month of confusion on who won the elections. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_in_Florida,_2000
The 2000 Result
(Eleanor LaBarbera)
1. How did the election of 2000 reveal a division in the country?
Bush and Gore had both received around half of the popular vote, but the Electoral College was 271 to 266. It was the narrowest margin since the election of 1876. The Senate had even been spilt down the middle exactly with 50 votes for each party. Bush and Gore had the Southern states and the states of the trans-Mississippi farm belt and the Rockies. Gore won almost all the states in the Northeast, Old Northwest, and West Coast. People who lived in urban areas voted for Gore while people who lived in rural areas voted for Bush. The minorities gave Gore their votes while the whites gave Bush their votes. The women had favored Gore while the men had favored Bush by the same eleven percent margins.
2. Who did the Democrats blame for Bush’s narrow victory?
The Democrats blamed the Supreme Court, Ralph Nader, and bad luck to Bush’s victory. Ralph Nader was running for the environmentalist Green Party and had taken tens of thousands of votes in Florida that could have gone to Gore. The bad luck came in when thousands of voters in one county had a poll malfunction, which accidently had them cast their votes for the independent conservative candidate Pat Buchanan.
3. What was the largest reason for Gore’s loss?
The largest reason for Gore’s loss would be when he could not win Florida due to around 600,000 persons losing the right to vote after being convicted of a felony. The Democrats could not be seen as being soft against crime and had to go along with the lifetime felony disenfranchisement. It hurt the Democratic Party as most of the people affected were minorities who would have voted for Gore. In 2007 the Florida’s clemency board voted to allow a large majority of the state’s ex-felons to regain the right to vote.
Web Source: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-80774814/state-felon-disenfranchisement-policy.html
1. What objections are there to lifetime felony disenfranchisement?
Some scholars believe that this policy is part of racial politics because of the fact that minorities are a majority of the felons. It is believed to aim at primarily taking away voting power from Black and Latino citizens. The election of 2000 highlighted the connecting between state policy and procedural democracy. It was calculated that if only eight tenths of one percent of black felons were allowed to vote in Florida then Gore would have received 538 votes, which would have won him the state and the presidency. There also seems to be no empirical study being done to reveal the ties between state politics and felony disenfranchisement.
A Challenged Democracy
[Ali Giron]
Culture Wars (Alexander Moll)
1. What impact did the Cold War have on identity? a. It renewed the emphasis on group identity and insisted demands for group recognition and power. The 19th and 20th century socialism and nationalism had untied people of different backgrounds in pursuit of common goals.
2. What happened to America’s population? a. In 2000 the number of foreign born residents living in the US rose to over 31 million or 11% of the population. This was the largest immigrant total in the nation’s history.
3. What happened to women’s roles as immigrants? a. For the first time, women made up the majority of newcomers, reflecting the decline of manufacturing jobs that had previously absorbed immigrant men. Also, employment opportunities spread in traditional female working fields.
4. What culture made up most of the immigrants? a. Latinos made up most of the immigrant population, and numbered over 41 million by 2006. They were the largest minority group in the US, but were far poorer than the rest of the country.
5. What was the most dramatic change for African Americans in the 1990’s? a. The absence of legal segregation and the presence of blacks in areas of American life from which they had once been almost entirely excluded. Blacks now worked in unprecedented numbers alongside whites in corporate board rooms, offices, and factories.**
This picture shows the change in the amount of immigrants just before the 1990’s and other decades. It shows how immigration was on the rise and how this led to the dramatic increase in the immigrant population during the 1990’s.
We are continuing with the same FIVE groups and the same format of questions, images, and outside source
Group 1
The End of The Golden Age
The Decline of Manufacturing (Kimmie Aralar)
How did the US strengthen its relationship with its anticommunist allies?
They promoted the industrial reconstruction of Japan and Germany and new centers of manufacturing like South Korea and Taiwan. The US government also encouraged American companies to invest in overseas plants while allies sought unrestricted access to the American market.
{http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/yen.jpg}
Japanese Yen
What is a merchandise trade deficit?
A merchandise trade deficit occurs when more goods are imported than exported.
What happened in 1971 & 1980 in relation to US manufacturers?
In 1971, the U.S. experienced a merchandise trade deficit. In 1980, almost three quarters of goods from the United states were competing with overseas products. The number of manufacturing workers had fallen from 38% of America's workforce (1960) to 28%.
How did the Vietnam war affect America?
It caused higher federal deficits and rising inflation in America.
outside source: http://historycentral.com
This website states that the Vietnam War caused imbalances in American industry. US factories would have been making consumer goods but were instead making items for the military. The government's military spending also caused imbalances in payments and the weakening of the dollar as the money was going overseas and no funds returned to America.
What was the Bretton Woods agreement?
It fixed the value of the dollar and other currencies in terms of gold.
{http://www.rickscoinstop.com/Coin%20Images/1875A-German-Mark.jpg}
German Mark
What change did Nixon make to the economy in 1971? What did he hope that would better the economy?
Nixon took the United states off the gold standard and ended the Bretton Woods agreement. He hoped that lowering the dollar's value in terms of German (mark) and Japanese (yen) currency would promote exports by making American goods cheaper overseas and reduce imports since foreign products would be more expensive in the United States
How did Nixon's change to American currency affect the world?
It caused instability in the world's economy. Nixon also ordered wages and prices frozen for ninety days.
Stagflation
(DELANI DUMPIT)
What happened in the brief war of 1973 between Israel and its neighbors, Egypt and Syria?
Western support (US) went to Israel so Middle Eastern Arab states retaliated by quadrupling the price of oil and suspending the export of oil to the United States for several months.
What effect did this have in America?
American gas stations ran our of fuel or began limiting how much a customer could buy. Because the rapidly growing demand for fuel by cars and factories outstripped domestic supplies, in 1973 the United states imported one-third of its oil.
What did Congress do to promote energy conservation?
Congress lowered the speed limit on interstate highways to fifty-five miles per hour, and many public buildings reduced heat and lighting.
What resulted from the energy crisis of the 1970s?
The energy crisis drew increased attention to domestic energy resources like oil, coal, and natural gas. Western energy grew quickly: Oil was discovered in Alaska in 1968. In 1977 a pipeline opened to facilitate its shipment to the rest of the country. Also, coal production in Wyoming boomed and Western companies benefited from the high oil prices set by OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries).
What is "stagflation"?
It is the combination of stagnant economic growth and high inflation. Rising oil prices in the world economy contributed to stagflation. --Between 1973and 1981, the rate of inflation in developed countries was 10% per year, and the rate of economic growth only 2.4 percent.
What was the misery index?
The misery index was the sum of the unemployment and inflation rates. It stood at 10.8 when the decade began and by 1980 it almost doubled.
What resulted in America due to rising oil prices?
Many Americans shifted from large domestically produced cars, known for high gasoline consumption, to smaller, more fuel-efficient imports. By the end of the decade, Japan had become the world's leading automobile producer, and imports accounted for nearly 25% of car sales in the United States.
Website: More details on the war between Israel and Egypt & Syria
The October 1973 War (known in Israel as the Yom Kippur War and in the Arab world as the Ramadan War) developed rapidly, and the coordinated Egyptian-Syrian offensive caught Israel by surprise. On September 28, Palestinian guerrillas detained an Austrian train carrying Soviet Jews en route to Israel. Subsequent Egyptian and Syrian military deployments were interpreted by Israel as defensive actions in anticipation of Israeli reprisals. For one week, Israel postponed mobilizing its troops. Not until the morning of Yom Kippur (October 6), about six hours before the Arab offensive, were Israeli officials convinced that war was imminent; a mobilization of the reserves was then ordered. <http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/yankee/yomkippur1973.htm>
{http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05/08/article-1018604-03C00DEF0000044D-127_468x367.jpg}
Moshe Dayan and Ariel Sharon (right) during the Yom Kippur War <http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/05/08/article-1018604-03C00DEF0000044D-127_468x367.jpg>
The Beleaguered Social Contract (VINCE LEUS)
What happened in Paterson, New Jersey?
- Deindustrialization left a landscape of abandoned manufacturing plants.
- Poverty rate reached 20%
- city sold off public library buildings to raise cash
- schools became so run down and overcrowded that the state government took control.
What did corporations do as a result of the economic crisis?
- eliminated well-paid manufacturing jobs through automation and shifting to low-wage areas of the U.S. and overseas.
What happened to Detroit and Chicago in 1980?
- Both cities had lost over half the manufacturing jobs that had existed three decades before.
Why did the Sunbelt states see an increase in population?
- Because of the accelerating flow of jobs, investment, and population to the these nonunion, low-wage states.
Labor on the Defensive (Anika Adeni)
Why was the labor movement pushed into the background?It was not always a part of the Democratic ideals, and it worsened as cities found themselves in debt. Cities began to slash public services and budgets. Because of this, the labor force moved into new jobs and took the losses.
What kind of impact did this movement have?
It saw the median wage stagnate for 20 years, in which blue collar workers could not find jobs, even as the average income doubled in the same period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_unions_in_the_United_States
This section talks about how labor union involvement declined in the 1970s, but increased in the private sector. In today’s society, most unions are private.
Felicity Chen
What is an example of weakening of unions power?
1975, the New York City fiscal crisis. Deeply in debt and unable to market its bonds, the city faced the prospect of bankruptcy. Reduction of the city's workforce, severe cuts in the budgets of schools, parks and subway system were just some of the means to a solution for the crisis. Even in the center of unionism, many New Yorkers suffered job losses and decline in public service.
Ford as President (William Tian)
Ford as PresidentWhat domestic accomplishments did Gerald Ford possess?
Ford did not have any substantive domestic accomplishments. The Democratic Congress resisted attempts to cut taxes to spur growth and did not react favorably to lessening government regulation. Inflation did fall under the WIN program, but unemployment rose past 9%, the highest level since the depression.
What foreign policy accomplishments did Ford possess?
Ford had a significant accomplishment in the agreement at Helsinki between the USSR and the United States. This recognized the permanence of post-WW2 European boundaries and both superpowers to respect the basic liberties of their citizens. This inspired movements for greater freedom within communist Europe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helsinki_Accords
This is a link describing the Helsinki Accords. It describes how the Accords were a major victory for the Soviets, as they consolidated their post-WW2 boundary gains.
The Carter Administration (Marissa Phelan)
1. What presidential election did Jimmy Garter win?Presidential election of 1976, narrowly defeating Ford.
2. Who was Jimmy Carter?
He was a former governor of Georgia and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He later became a peanut farmer and devout "born-again" Baptist.
3. Was Jimmy Carter well known?
No, Carter was virtually unknown outside his state when he launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination.
4. How did Carter run for the presidency?
Carter ran for president as an "outsider", making a virtue of the fact that he had never held federal office.
5. How was Carter similar to the Progressives?
Carter was similar to the Progressives in that his passions were making government more efficient while protecting the environment and raising the "moral tone" of politics.
6. How was Carter different from Progressives?
Unlike the Progressives, he embraced the aspirations of black Americans. His inaugural address as governor of Georgia in 1971 had apologized for past mistreatment of the state's black population.
7. Did Jimmy Carter's presidency impact the black population?
Yes- As president, Carter appointed an unprecedented number of blacks to important positions. An example is Andrew Young, a former lieutenant of Martin Luther King Jr. who became an ambassador to the United Nations.
Web Source: "Most of their neighbors, and young Jimmy's playmates in Archery, were African American, but the rigid code of segregation required the separation of the races in school, in church and other public places..,As Governor of Georgia, Carter worked hard to heal the state's racial divisions, announcing in his inaugural address that "the time for racial discrimination is over." It was an unprecedented statement for a southern governor, but Carter made good on his words. He increased the number of African American state employees by 40 percent and hung portraits of Martin Luther King Jr. and other notable black Georgians in the state capitol" (http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/car0bio-1).
Primary Source: http://news.duke.edu/2006/12/images/young_king_small.jpg
(picture of Andrew Young--- wiki is not allowing the picture to show :(
Carter and the Economic Crisis (DANICA HOM)
What did Carter view as the nation's main economic problem?
Inflation, not unemployment.
What did he do to try to solve this problem?
He cut spending on domestic programs and also stopped regulating trucking and airline industries. Carter hoped that the increased prices would raise competition.
What did Carter, a Democrat, advocate that was a Republican policy?
He supported the Federal Bank Reserve as they raised interest rates to slow down economic activity until the prices and the wages fell.
What happened when the Federal Reserve Bank raised interest rates?
The oil prices did not drop as hoped, they continued rising. This did not help reduce inflation.
What did Carter believe about nuclear energy?
He believed that the expanded use of it would help reduce the country's need for imported oil.
What happened at the Three Mile Island?
Three Mile Island was a nuclear plant in PA. An accident occurred there in 1979, releasing large amounts of radioactive steam into the air. This incident reinforced fears that people had about nuclear energy being a hazard to the environment, and brought the nuclear industry to a stop.
Who did Carter seem to blame for the economic decline in his speech in 1979?
He seemed to be blaming the American people for their "self-indulgence and consumption". This did not help his popularity.
Web Source
A picture of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant.
{threemileisland.jpg}
http://maxart.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/threemileisland.jpg
Carter and Human Rights (Marianne Medrano)
What did Carter believe in the post-Vietnam era?
Carter believed that American foreign policy should de-emphasize Cold War thinking. Combating poverty in the Third World, preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, and promoting human rights should take priority over what he called “the inordinate fear of communism that once led us to embrace any dictator who joined us in that fear.”
What was one of Jimmy Carter’s first acts as president?
Carter offered an unconditional pardon to Vietnam-era draft resisters. In a 1977 address he insisted that foreign policy could not be separated from “questions of justice, equity, and human rights.” He also says:
"For too many years, we’ve been willing to adopt the flawed and erroneous principles and tactics of our adversaries, sometimes abandoning our own values for theirs. We’ve fought fire with fire, never thinking that fire is better quenched with water. This approach failed, with Vietnam the best example of its intellectual and moral poverty. But through failure we have now found our way back to our own principles and values, and we have regained our lost confidence" in the same 1977 address (http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=727).
What was Carter’s outlook on international problems, and what are some examples of that?
Carter’s emphasis on pursuing peaceful solutions to international problems and his willingness to think outside the Cold War framework yielded these important results:
http://totheroots.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/us-salt-1.jpg
What are some contradictions in Carter’s moves for human rights?
The Iran Crisis and Afghanistan
(Manisha Sahai)
Why was Iran a major supplier of oil and an importer of American military equipment?
- Because it occupied a strategic location on the southern border of the Soviet Union.
What happened in early 1979?- A popular revolution inspired by the exiled Muslim cleric Ayatollah Khomeini overthrew the shah and declared Iran an Islamic republic.
The Iranian revolution marked an ideologic shift in opposition movements in the Middle East from what to what?- From socialism and Arab nationalism to religious fundamentalism.
What was a short-term consequence of this in the United States?- When Carter in November of 1979 allowed the deposed shah to seek medical treatment in the U.S., Khomeini's followers invaded the American embassy in Tehran and seized fifty-three hostages.
What was the Carter Doctrine, and what effects did it have?- Declared that the U.S. would use military force, if necessary, to protect its interests in the Persian Gulf.
- He placed an embargo on gain exports to the Soviet Union and organized a Western boycott of the 1890 Olympics, which took place in Moscow.
- He withdrew the SALT II treaty from consideration by the Senate and dramatically increased military spending.
- The U.S. funneled aid to fundamentalist Muslims in Afghanistan who fought a decade-long guerrilla war against the Soviets.
- Biggest effect: the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan (they were a faction of Islamic fundamentalists)
- Outside Source: List of effects, direct or indirect, of the Carter Doctrine: http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/new/blogs/bacevich/The_Carter_Doctrine_at_30
- Primary Source: Present-day Taliban: http://static.open.salon.com/files/taliban1234153405.jpg
What did Carter do to bring down inflation?- He cut back on social spending and the federal government's economic regulations, while projecting a major increase in the military budget.
What had happened by 1980?Group 2
The Rising Tide of Conservatism (Rachel Caoili)
What were the domestic and international dislocations (disturbances) that offered conservatives new political opportunities?-Economic problems heightened the appeal of lower taxes, reduced government regulation, and cuts in social spending to spur business investment.
-Fears about a decline of American power in the world led to calls for a renewal of the Cold War.
-The civil rights and sexual revolutions produced resentments that undermined the Democratic coalition.
-Rising urban crimes rates reinforce demands for law and order and attacks on courts considered too sympathetic toward criminals.
Who were the “neoconservatives” and what did they believe in?
-Neoconservatives are a group of intellectuals who charged that the 1960s had produced a decline in moral standards and respect for authority.
-They had come to believe that well-intentioned government social programs did more harm than good.
-Examples: Welfare not only failed to alleviate poverty but also encouraged single motherhood and undermined the work ethic. High taxes and expensive government regulations drained resources form productive enterprises.
The Religious Right (Janelle Corpuz)
What was the significance of Carter's presidency?- He was the first Christian to become president.
What happened as Evangelical Christians became aliented from a culture that trivalized religion and promoted immorality?- They demanded the reversal of Supreme Court decisions that banned prayer in public schools, protected porn as free speech, and legalized abortion.
How did the Religious Right spread their word?- Used modern technology - mass mailings, televised religious programming, raised funds for crusade
Who was Jerry Falwell? What was his significance?- He was a Virginia minister who created the "Moral Majority," who devoted a war against sin and elected "pro-life, pro-family, pro-America" canidates to office. Also, supporters of abortion rights, easy divorce, and "military unpreparedness" were known as Satans who were threatening God's plans for a better country.
Who was Anita Bryant? What was her significance?- She was a popular singer. After her orange juice campaigns, Dade County, Florida passed anti-gay ordinanace under the banner "Save Our Children."
Internet Source:This is a picture of Anita Bryant. She was one of the first people to be pied on television for speaking out in public about her beliefs about gay rights. After she was pied, she began to pray to God to forgive whoever threw the pie at her. Her husband ended up finding the activists who threw the pie at her and despite the fact he said he wouldn't do anything, he threw a pie at them too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_Bryant
The Battle Over the Equal Rights Amendment (Jessica Gabasan)
Who originally proposed the equal rights amendment (ERA) in the 1920s?
Who revived the ERA?
What did the supporters and opponents of the ERA argue?
What group influenced the failed ratification of the ERA?
Who was Phyllis Schlafly and what did she insist?
The Abortion Controversy (Nonie Grewal)
What did the abortion movement seek to reverse?- The Roe vs Wade Decision.
(Online Source: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionuslegal/p/roe_v_wade.htm)
- Before the Roe vs Wade Decision abortions were banned in most states and limited in others. Although this Court decision made it so that abortions were legal in America within the first few months of pregnancy without restriction and later on with restrictions. It was part of the 19th amendment and affected a person’s right to privacy.
Who began the movement?
- Roman Catholic Church.
- Church condemned abortion in any conditions.
Who else joined them?
- Evangelic Protestants and social conservatism
What was their argument?
- Life begins at conception; abortion is murder.
- “Right to life” they represented the rights of unborn children.
(Image Source: http://www.ourcrazygovernment.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Roe-v.-Wade-protesters.jpg)
Who was against them and what was their arguments?
- Feminists.
- Argued that a woman should have control over her body including the right to a safe and legal abortion.
- “Right to choose” is the essence of freedom.
What was the anti-abortion first victory?
- In 1976, Congress over President Ford stopped federal funding for abortions and poor women through medical programs.
What are some other things anti-abortion movement took a part in? Was it successful?
- 1990s a few activists bombed medical clinics and killed doctors providing abortions.
- To the end of the century many women legally continued to have access to abortion, but less hospitals and doctors provided abortions.
The Tax Revolt (Viktor Huerta)
What was Prop 13? What happened as a result of it passing?
-Ban on further increases in property taxes
-Demonstrated that the level of taxation could be a powerful political issue
-Helped out businesses and home owners
-Reduced funds for schools, libraries, and other public services
What was the Sagebrush Rebellion?
-Name of bill passed by Nevada Legislature in 1979
-Leaders in western states denounced control of large areas of land by Bureau of Land Management in Washington D.C.
-Insisted that the states themselves have the decision for issues such as grazing rights, mining development, and if fishing and hunting were allowed on public lands
-Underscored the rising tide of antigovernment sentiment
-http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/PVCC/mbase/docs/sagebrush.html
--The website gives examples of problems that people in this rebellion had.
--Reveals that Westerners believed that the region's destiny is being dictated by outsiders who do not understand the West and view it as a dumping ground for problems Eastern states are unwilling to accept.
-Picture: http://www.barbsbooks.com/images/SagebrushREbellion.jpg
The Election of 1980
(Mary Ingalla)
Who were the candidates for each party in the 1980 election?
Candidates for the 1980 election were Ronald Reagan (Republican), Jimmy Carter (Democrat), and John Anderson (Independents).
What did Reagan pledge for his bid in the election of 1980?
Reagan pledged to end stagflation and restore the country's dominant rule in the world and its confidence in itself.
During his campaign, what did Reagan continuously repeat?
Reagan continuously condemned welfare "cheats," school busing, and affirmative action.
What did the Republican platform reverse that it was a long standing supporter of?
The Republican platform reversed the party's longstanding support for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and condemned moral permissiveness.
What helped Jimmy Carter's reputation after leaving the White House?
Carter started to work for the Habitat for Hummanity, an organization that constructed homes for poor families. Also, he was a fundamental part in helping negotiate a cease-fire between warring Muslim and Serb forces in Bosnia and arranged a peaceful transfer of power from the military to an elected government in Haiti.
What did Carter's defeat in the 1980 presidential election implement?
Carter's defeat helped launched the Reagan Revolution, which would help complete the transformation of freedom from the rallying cry of the left to a possession of the right.
Web Source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/peopleevents/e_1980.html
Link gives an overview of the Election of 1980 and how the Reagan Revolution began under Carter's Administration.
Photo Link: http://www.de-fact-o.com/php_uploads/Image/ny.gif
The Reagan Revolution
Who did Reagan challenge in 1976 for the Republican nomination?
President Ford
What did the Christian Right do?
The Christian Right sought to restore what they considered traditional moral values to American life.
Reagan and American Freedom
(Jacqui Liu)
Why was Reagan “underestimated” by his opponents? How was he unlike most modern presidents?
-leaving office at the age of 77, he became the oldest man ever to serve as president
-unlike modern presidents, he was content to outline broad policy themes and leave their implementation to others
{reagan24.jpg} What made him appeal to a large number of Americans?
-an excellent public speaker, his optimism and affability appealed to large numbers of Americans
-made conservatism seem progressive, rather than an attempt to turn back the tide of progress
<< Reagan delivering a speech during his presidency. (oftentimes photographed with patriotic symbols, like the American flag)
Quotes from Reagan
Who did he frequently quote, and why is this significant?
-Thomas Paine: “We have it in our power to begin the world over again”
-repeatedly invoked the idea that America had a divinely appointed mission as a “beacon of liberty and freedom”
What became the watchword of the Reagan Revolution?
-“Freedom” ; the used the word more often than any president before him
In what ways did he reshape the nation’s agenda and political language more effectively than any president since FDR?
-seized on vocabulary of opponents and gave it new meaning
-promised to free government of control by “special interests” ; racial minorities, unionists and others hoping to attack social inequalities
-Justice Department made the principle that the Constitution must be “color-blind”
Reaganomics (Chris Mullen)
How did Reagan's vision relate to/differ from Roosevelt and Johnson before him?How did Reagan deal with taxes?
What was Reagan's economic program, and what was it called?
Why did Reagan believe that people would work harder because of the tax plan?
Reagan and Labor
(Jennifer Rillamas)What was the issue with Reagan and Labor in August of 1981?
-In August of 1981 PATCO, the union of air traffic controllers went on strike because of a violation of a federal law. Because of this Reagan fired them all and in their place used to military to control the nation's air traffic system until new replacements were fully trained.
What became widespread in 1980 regarding labor?
-the hiring of workers to replace permanently those who had gone on strike
Which sectors employed more Americans than manufacturing by the time Reagan left office?
-service and retail
Why did the rate of inflation decline to 3.5% in 1988?
-The rate of inflation declined because of a period of expanded oil production that drove down prices suceeded the shortages of the 1970s.
Source:http://www.bob-leonard-florida.com/reagan_files/image009.jpg
Outside Link:
In this case about the happenings with PATCO in 1981, it gives more of a detailed account of the other side of the operation. The website reports that Ken Moffet, the chief mediator, reported to Reagan that the workers wanted a shorter work week and higher pay. Additionally, the strikers commented saying that without them working thre the air travel would be a disaster, but Reagan proved that to be different, by firing them all. This led to other employers to take after Reagan's doings and simply getting rid of the people as a whole instead of dealing with the situation.
Link:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5604656
The Problem of Inequality
1. What happened to the rich people in America by the 1990’s?a. The richest 1 percent of America controlled 40 percent of the nation’s wealth, twice their share twenty years earlier.
2. What happened to minority workers during Deindustrialization?
a. It had a devastating effect on minority workers who were often the last hired and the first fired. Thanks to the opening of colleges and professional schools to minority students as a result of the civil rights movement and affirmative action programs, the black middle class expanded considerably.
3. What happened to the income of the middle class and poor class during Deindustrialization?
a. The income of the middle-class Americans stagnated while that of the poorest one-fifth of the population declined.
4. What happened to Jim Crow in the 1970’s?
a. Jim Crow had finally ended in many workplaces and union during the 70’s.
5. Which ethnic group lost the most amount of jobs in the 1980’s?
a. African Americans
6. What percentage of African American workers was jobless in 1981?
a. 20%
7. What were the effects of the closing of the giant Firestone Factory in 1980?
a. In South Gate, a working class suburb of Los Angeles, for example, the giant Firestone tire factory shut down in 1980, only a few years after Black and Latino workers had made their first breakthroughs in employment.
b. My Blue Heaven: Life and Politics in the working-class suburbs of Los Angeles by Becky M. Nicolaides
i. “South Gate lay directly in the line of fire, losing more than 12,500 jobs by the mid-1980s. Weiser Lock shut down in 1979 and Firestone Tire and Rubber followed in 1980; the big blow came when GM permanently shut its doors in 1983. One of the first blacks hired at GM was Charlie Brown, one of more than 4,000 GM workers laid off. Recalling his last day of work, he said, ‘I felt like my whole life that I had worked for twenty-eight years was flushed down the drain….I’m just beginning to see that I mean never have the same standard of living anymore or be able to do what every American wants to do—keeps his kids in college, put bread on the table, and keep a happy home’ Woefully, many of these closures occurred soon after blacks, Latinos, and women made watershed breakthroughs in shop-floor seniority and local union leadership. As Mike Davis has noted, ‘while white workers for the most part were able to retire or follow their jobs to the suburban periphery, non-whites were stranded in an economy that was suddenly minus 40,000 high-wage manufacturing and trucking jobs [in the southern suburbs].”’
The Second Gilded Age
What does the term “Yuppie” mean?
The term Yuppie refers to a young professional who earned a high income working at a bank or stock brokerage firm and spent lavishly on designer clothing and other trappings of good life.How was Regan popular even though he tripled the national debt to 2.7 trillion?
He was popular because Regan took credit for economic expansion and blamed congressional leaders for the huge federal deficit.
How does the “Second Gilded Age” compare to the First Gilded Age?
The Second Gilded Age is comparable to the first Gilded Age because both have been regard as a decade o misplaced values. Buying out companies generated more profits then running them and making deals, not products, was the way to get rich.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080630/henwood
This source claims that the second gilded age is worse then the first on because the people in the second gilded age lived longer and have far greater wealth then that of the first gilded age. The author of this website also states that in the first gilded age it helped cement the United States into a industrial power while the Second did not effect the status of America
Group 3
The Reagan RevolutionHow did Ronald Reagan get into politics? (Lizel Mendoza)
In the 5O's, Ronald was originally a New Deal democrat and accepted the spokesmen job for the General Electric Corp, which offered Reagan to tour around reciting speeches. In 1962, Reagan changed his party registration to Republican, and two years after, he gave a momentous speech supporting Barry Goldwater on tv, launching him into the field of politics. A group of businessmen in California nominated Reagan for governor. He won twice, which soon led him to become president in 198O.
source: http://reagan2020.us/biography/ronald_reagan.asp
Conservatives and Reagan
Why were some ardent conservatives disappointed in Reagan's administration? (Yoni Carnice)Even though funding for Great Society antipoverty programs was sharply reduced, the main parts of the welfare state, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which many conservatives wanted to curtail or repeal, were intact. He did little to advance the social agenda of the Christian Right. Abortion remained legal, and many women continued to enter the labor force.
What occurred in Bowers v. Hardwick? (Dhruv Jhigan)
Source: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=478&invol=186
In 1986, the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Georgia’s state laws outlawing homosexual acts. However, in 2003 the justices reversed the decision and declared these homosexual acts unconstitutional. It was stated that it violated the citizen’s personal and fundamental rights. But, due to the laws against gay marriage and what not, the law is still unconstitutional.
Who was the first female member of the Supreme Court? (Dhruv Jhigan)
Source: http://www.oyez.org/justices/sandra_day_oconnor
Appointed by Reagan, the first female member of the Supreme Court was Sandra Day O’Connor. Conservatives tended to really oppose this idea due to her lack of constitutional knowledge and experience. They called her a “wasted nomination”. She graduated from Stanford University and majored in economics. She would later become Attorney General and prove her skills to the American people (she was in office from 1981 to 2006 as the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court).
What did Reagan do in order to reduce the amount of drug use in urban areas? What did the justice department do pertaining to civil rights under Reagan?
(Derek Guterres)
In order to reduce the amount of drug use, Reagan's administration launched a "Just Say No" campaign which aimed towards the reduction of use of illegal drugs. However, this campaign was ineffective because it failed to stop the spread of crack (a potent inexpensive form of cocaine that produced an upsurge of street crime and family breakdown) in urban areas. Reagan's Justice Department cut back on civil rights enforcement and worked to reduce affirmative action programs. But towards the end of Reagan's presidency, the supreme court approved plans by private employers and city and state governments, which upgraded minority employment.
http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=41
This website talks about the life of Nancy Reagan. It was actually Nancy that started the Just Say No Campaign and got her husband to endorse it and sign for a "Drug Free America". Nancy wanted to raise awareness of drug abuse and put a gradual end to it, so she tried and started the "Just Say No" campaign, and as a result an anti-drug abuse law was signed under President Reagan. Below is a picture of the Just Say No Campaign.
{http://i.brentozar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/just-say-no.jpg}
Reagan and the Cold War
(Janani Ravikrishnan)
What did Reagan think about the soviet union? What was his new strategy? Logical or not?
Reagan called it an "evil empire"-- and sponsored the largest military buildup in American history,including new long range bombers and missiles. It was the strategic Defense Initiative, based on developing a space-based system to intercept and destroy enemy missile.
The idea was not logical and would violate Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty of 1972.
Reagan persuaded Nato to do what about nuclear weapons? How did Americans react?
He persuaded them to introduce a short range nuclear weapons into Europe to counter Soviet forces. But the renewed arms race and Reagan's casual talk of winning a nuclear war caused alarm at home.
What is The Day After depicted what ?
The Day after is a television program that aired in 1983 and depicted the devastation that would be caused by a nuclear war
Outside source link to the day after
It depicts Soviet leadership orders troops marched to the border of West Berlin, and then decides to invade West Germany with multiple armored tank & troop divisions
Russians use a nuclear ballistic missile against a West German city, and then attack a U.S. warship in the Persian Gulf. The Americans strike back by hitting a Soviet ship, and then the Russians hit NATO regional headquarters with a nuclear warhead.
{http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/photos/uncategorized/thedayafter.jpg}
What did Reagan come into office determined to do?
He came in determined to overturn the “Vietnam syndrome” as widespread public reluctance to commit American forces overseas.
He sent troops to the Caribbean island of Grenada to oust pro-Cuban Government, ordered bombing of Libya in retaliation for the country’s alleged involvement in a terrorist attack on West Berlin nightclub in which Americans died.
What idea did Reagan embrace in 1979 after rejecting the Carter administrations emphasis on human rights?
The neoconservative writer Jeane Kirkpatrick said that the US should oppose “totalitarian” communists but assist “authoritarian” non-communist regimes.
What happened when El Salvador’s army massacred?
They killed hundreds of civilians in the town of El Mozote in 1981, the State Department denied that the event, widely reported in the press, had taken place.
Why do people associate the El Salvadorian Civil War with the US and what is the outcome of the event? (Lizel Mendoza)
-Why?
- The US trained people in that country and was said to have made plans to take down guerillas living in El Mozote and other nearby villages.
- They Killed around 5OO
-What?- Turning point in Human Rights
- 1st Geneva Conventions for assessing human rights abuse in Central America
Source: http://www.soros.org/resources/events/elmozote_20030904The Iran-Contra Affair
(Bahareh Mehrizi)
What was the Iran-Contra Affair and what was it's significance?
It was {http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/2007/06/11/iran_hostage_crisis_1979.jpg} known to be the greatest scandal in Reagan's presidency. In 1984, Congress banned military aid to the Contras fighting the Sandinista government of Nicaragua. In 1985, Reagan began to secretly authorize the sale of arms to Iran, who was know involved in a war between Iraq. This was done in order to secure the release of the 53 American hostages that were put on trial for 444 days. CIA director William Casey and Lieutentant Colonel Oliver North of the National Security set up a system that gave the proceeds to buy military supplies for the Contras and continued for 2 years. The significance is that the Iran-Contra affair undermined confidence that Reagan controlled his own administration.
Picture Source: http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/2007/06/11/iran_hostage_crisis_1979.jpg
What happened after the Middle Eastern newspaper leaked the story?
When this occurred in 1987, Congress held televised hearings where eleven members of the administration were convicted of perjury or destroying documents, and Reagen denied knowledge of illegal proceedings.
Web source: http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/documents/hostages.phtml
This website explains the Iran- Contra affair as well as the movement behind the hostages.
Reagan and Gorbachev
(Trish Denoga)
What did Reagan do to alleviate the anti-communist rhetoric?
In his second term, Reagan established good relations with Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev, who had come to power in 1985. He sought to reform the Soviet Union's repressive political system and help the economy.
{5gorbachev_reagan1_600.jpg}
What was glasnost and perestroika?
These terms were Gorbachev's inaugurated policies. Glasnost means political openness, and perestroika means economic reform.
What did Reagan and Gorbachev negotiate?
Gorbachev realized that the country's military budget needed to be reduced in order to see a significant change in the country. They had a series of talks between 1985 and 1987. They established an agreement to eliminate intermediate and short range nuclear missiles in Europe. Gorbachev began pulling Soviet troops out of Afghanistan. Reagan left with diminished hostilities between the superpowers and felt that the Soviet's impression as an "evil empire" was one of another era.
Reagan’s Legacy
(Trish Denoga)
What legacy did Reagan leave behind and what did his presidency reveal?
Regan's presidency revealed the contradictions at the heart of modern conservatism. He sought to address the concerns of the Religious Right, and advocating a return to spiritual values as a way to strengthen family life and communities. It undermined the values and institutions conservatives thought to be very important to society. It discouraged reliance on government handouts by rewarding honest work and business initiative. His policies inspired a frenzy that enriched architects and the progression of the stock market and economy.
Web resource: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0607-09.htm
Discusses the legacy that Reagan has left behind on America.
What was the perspective of Reagan's presidency after he left office? Why?
Reagan left the presidency with his reputation somewhat tarnished because of the Iran-Contra scandal and the enormous deficits the government had accumulated.
How were ideas of conservatives present in Reagan's presidency? (Derek Guterres)
The vice president, George H W. Bush, defeated Michael Dukakis, who was the governor of Massachusetts, in the 1988 election because Dukakis could not respond effectively to the charge that he was a "liberal" (considered a term of political abuse). This shows how being liberal was looked down upon and being a conservative during this era was a typical thing to be. Conservative ideas of the free market and the evils of "big government" owned the mass media and political debates. People who recieved public assitance were not seen as citiens who had to help to cope with economic misfortune, but they were seen as a drain on taxes. These conservative ideas will be expanded through the 1990s under Bill Clinton.
The Election of 1988
Why can the election of 1988 be seen as very “scandalous”? (Dhruv Jhigan)
In the 1988 election, politics was starting to sink to new lows. The television and media reports controlled political campaigns. Senator Gary Hart of Colorado withdrew after a newspaper reported his one night affair with a woman. Senator Dan Quayle of Indiana was ridiculed for factual and linguistic mistakes. Rumors that Michael Dukakis’s wife had burned the American flag in the 1960s started to spread. The Republicans also depicted the threatening image of Willie Horton, a black murderer and rapist who had been released from prison for a while during Dukakis’s term as governor of Massachusetts. In the end the two major Republican and Democratic candidates, George H. Bush and Michael Dukakis, went head to head in the result of Bush winning by 54% of the popular vote.
What was left for Democrats to do after Bush won the popular vote? (Marilen Atienza)
To try to retain control of Congress Democratic success suggested that an electoral base existed for a comeback. But this would only occur if the party fashioned a new appeal to replace traditional liberalism, which had been eclipsed by the triumph of conservatism.
Globalization and Its Discontents 1989-2000
Intro
What is "globalization"? (Yoni Carnice)
The process by which, people investment, goods, information, and culture increasingly spread through national boundaries around the world. This would create a borderless economy and a "global civilization" that would eventually replace traditional cultures. Due to advancements in technology, the sharing of information and trade quickly made its way to all countries allowing for globalization.
What took place during the December of 1999 in Seattle? (Derek Guterres)
Delegates from around the world gathered for a meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which was a 135-nation group that was created 5 years earlier to reduce barriers to international commerce and settle trade disputes. However, citizens of Seattle of opposed this meeting and over 30,000 people came to protest it. Their marches and rallies brought together factory workers who claimed that global free trade encouraged corporations to shift production to low-wage centers overseas and "tree-huggers" as some reporters called environmentalists, who complained about the impact of the earth's ecology of unregulated economic development. They were basically protesting about corporations shifting production to low-wage centers, so there was a possibility of job loss. The "tree-huggers" were against the WTO because they believed that free trade was destroying the environment.
What were some of the international institutions that were created and affected the everyday lives of people? What did the demonstrators want from these institutions? (Derek Guterres)
Some of the international institutions that were created were the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and multinational corporations, that operated without any democractic input. These international organizations required developing countries to seek financial aid which would allow their economies to be penetrated from abroad while reducing spending on domestic social concerns. They wanted to increase spending of other countries through foreign means instead of domestic means. The Demonstrators did not want an end to global trade and capital flows, but they wanted the establishment of international standards for wages, better labor conditions and the environment, and greater investment in health and eductation in poor countries.
Why did "antiglobalization" demonstrators not approve of globalization (Yoni Carnice)?
They believed it increased the the creation of wealth around the world, but it widened the gaps between the rich and poor countries, and the haves and have-nots in societies.
What occurred in Seattle in December 1999(Yoni Carnice)?
Delegates from around the world met for the World Trade Organization (WTO), a 135-nation group created fiver years before to reduce barriers to international commerce and settle trade conflicts. But 30,000 people gathered to protest this meeting because they were against global free trade. Protesters were arrested and the WTO gathering disbanded. According to Global Issues, the media failed to highlight the peaceful protests occurring in Seattle, but rather the small percentage of violent ones for sensationalist purposes. Individuals from around the world gathered to protest, but the majority of them did not oppose Global Trade all together. They just did not accept the current rules and regulations involved with international trade. The picture below shows police using pepper spray on possibly violent protesters.
{http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/wp-content/uploads/320px-WTO_protests_in_Seattle_November_30_1999.jpg}
What did the protesters do to during their peaceful protests? (Marilen Atienza)
Some of them dressed in costumes representing endangered species (like monarch butterflies whose habitats were disappearing because of the increasingamount of forests being destroyed by lumber companies and sea turtles that are threatened by unrestricted ocean fishing). They drew attantion to the depletion of ozone in the atmosphere. Due to the heightened use of aerosol sprays and refrigerants, which contained harmful chemicals, it had caused a large hole in the ozone layer. Some self-proclaimed anarchists broke windows at local stores. The police had to seal off the downtown and made hundreds of arrests. The WTO gathering disbanded.
Protesters in sea turtle costumes.
The Post-Cold War World
How did the collapse of communism between 1989 and 1991 affect the world? (Anmol Shah)
The collapse of communism opened the entire world to the spread of market capitalism and to the idea that government should interfere as little as possible with economic activity. The Free World triumphed over its communist rival, the free market over the idea of a planned economy, and the free individual over ideas of shared community and social citizenship. American politicians increasingly criticized the regulation of wages and working conditions, assistance to the less fortunate, and environmental protections as burdens on international competitiveness.
What were the effects of the antiglobalization movement? (Anmol Shah)
The antiglobalization movement challenged the social consequences of globalization. The demonstrators claimed that globalization accelerated the worldwide creation of wealth but widened the gaps between rich and poor countries and between haves and have-nots within societies. Decisions affecting the day to day lives of millions of people were made by institutions, such as the World Trade Organization, without any democratic input. These international organizations required developing countries seeking financial aid to open their economies to penetration from abroad while reducing spending on domestic social concerns. Demonstrators demanded not an end to global trade and capital flows, but the establishment of international standards for wages, labor conditions, and the environment.
Link: plato.stanford.edu/entries/globalization/
This website offers much insight to the impacts of globalization to our economy today, as well as the 1990s. Covering a wide range of distinct political, economic and cultural trends, the term globalization has quickly become one of the most fashionable buzzwords of contemporary political and academic debate. In popular discourse, globalization often functions as little more than a synonym for one or more of the following phenomena: the pursuit of free market policies in the world economy, the growing dominance of western forms of political, economic, and cultural life.
The Crisis of Communism (Mitra Shokri)
Why was 1989 so momentous?
In April 1989 tens of thousands of student demonstrators occupied Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. They demanded greater democracy in China. The students were joined by workers teachers and some government officials until the number of demonstrators grew to nearly 1 million. In June Chinese troops crushed the protest along with killing thousands of people.
What did the demonstrations at Tiananmen Square spur?
In the fall of 1989, prodemocracy demonstrations spread across Eastern Europe. But unlike it did in the part Gorbachev made it clear that the Soviet Union would not intervene. On November 9th crowds breached the Berlin wall, which had stood as the Cold War’s major symbol since 1961. As a result, in 1990 a reunified German nation took control of East Germany. This was known as the “velvet revolution”, the remarkable swift and almost entire collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
How was the Soviet Union thrown into crisis?
Gorbachev had attempted to reform the economy, which only resulted in deeper crisis. His policy of political openness resulted in long-suppressed national and ethnic tensions to rise to the surface. The Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania which had been part of the Soviet Union since 1940, declared their independence. In 1991 a group of military leaders tried to seize power and overturn the government’s plan to give greater autonomy to parts of the Soviet Union. As a result Gorbachev resigned from the Communist party, which ended it 84th year. In the end the Soviet Union was dissolved and 15 independent nations were created in its place.
How did the Cold War end?
The collapse of communism brought the Cold War to an end. This provided for a great victory for the American and its allies. For the 1st time since 1917 there was a worldwide capitalist system. Although China was still communist they worked their way to market reforms and tried to attract foreign investment. The 1990s would be seen as a “decade of democracy”. Peace was spread throughout the world.
{090526nipTiananmen--124300615007963100.jpg}
This picture shows a student protestor standing before the tanks of the Chinese government in protest of their system of government.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/4/newsid_2496000/2496277.stm
This source is a news report of the day that the Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred. It explains how many were killed and the reason why they were protesting against the government.
What took place at Tiananmen Square in 1989? (martin palanca)
At Tiananmen Square, many student demonstrators occupied the square and demanded greater democracy in China. Teachers, workers, and government officials joined the demonstration and grew to nearly 1,000,000 demonstrators. Also, the students put up a figure with similar meaning to the statue of liberty and called it "The Goddess of Freedom. However, Chinese troops ended the protest and killed many protestors. {http://www.americanthinker.com/Goddess%20of%20Democracy.jpg}
This is the statue which the students put up to represent the Statue of Liberty in China.
What was the velvet revolution? (martin palanca)
The velvet revolution was considered the end of communism in eastern Europe. The symbol of communism and the most prominent symbol of the Cold War was the Berlin Wall, and in 1989-1990 crowds on November 9th broke the berlin wall, and Germany once again, became one nation.
{http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01216/berlinwall_1216894i.jpg}
This picture shows the end of communism and the collapse of the berlin wall. People from both sides of the wall are now converging into one unified people once more.
How did the end of communism and the Cold War affect most of the world? (martin palanca)
-For first time since 1917, capitalism was worldwide.
-China had taken economic reform and hastened to attract foreign investment.
-Nelson Mndela, head of African National Congress, was released and became president under a democratic election.
-Latin America had come to peace from its civil war and civilian government replaced military rule.
A New World Order?
What was Bush’s first major foreign policy action? (Dhruv Jhigan)
He decided to return to the old belief of American interventionism, meaning that a country intervene in another’s affairs. During 1989, he dispatched troops to Panama in order to remove the government of General Manuel Antonio Noriega, who was a former ally of the United States who had become involved in the international drug trade. The invasion killed about 3,000 Panamanians and was rebuked by the United Nations General Assembly as a violation of international law. In the end, Noriega was sent to Florida, where he was tried and convicted for drug charges and the United States installed a new government in Panama. (Below is a picture of Noriega).
{panamanian-president-general-manuel-antonio-norieg.jpg}
Why was it difficult for people to know what the characteristics of Bush's so called "new world order" were? (Marilen Atienza)
The sudden shift from a bipolar world to one of unquestioned American predominance promised to redefine the country's global role. People were still new to the whole idea so it was difficult to grasp at first.
The Gulf War
(Gaby Lee)
1. Why did America go into this war?
- Iraq invaded and annexed Kuwait, near the Persian Gulf (had lots of oil)
- Americans thought that Saddam Hussein (Iraqui dictator) was going to tack Saudi Arabia, longtime ally that supplied more oil than any other country to the u.s.
- H.W. Bush rushed troops in and warned iraq to withdraw from Kuwait or face war
- Opponents said that although Bush said it was to protect the freedom of Saudi Arabia, neither Saudi Arabia or Kuwait were free because they didn’t allowed women to vote
- But Iraqi invasion violated international law so much that Bush was able to get aid and support from a 40-nation coalition committed to restoring Kuwaits independence, support form U.N. and sent ½ a mill American troops with naval armada to region
2. What was Operation Desert Storm?
- It was a swift army operation to drive the Iraqi army from Saudi Arabia
- Thousands of Iraqis and 184 Americans died in the conflict
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA2jitVn21Q
- (H.W. Bush announcing ground war)
- Even if this took place a little less than 2 decades ago, I could feel the tension. The news reports had a sort of somber look on those faces, as though anything could happen. But the thing that really bothered me and that I couldn’t get my mind off during this video was the fact that the president said saddam like Sad-dam. Upon further research, I realized that his son was able to say it correctly, which was good. I don’t know, I find it wrong when the president of our nation cannot say a name correctly because, when you’re the president, it’s not out of ignorance that you say something on national tv wrong, its kind of like an insult.
3. What happened after?
- Hussein remained in place
- U.N. ordered Iraq to disarm and imposed economic sanctions produced widespread civilian suffereing for rest of decade
4. How did this effect Bush’s popularity?
- before the recession and right after this triumph
- bush’s approval rating rose to an unprecedented 89%
{Operation-Desert-Storm.jpg}
What was so significant about the Gulf War? (Marilen Atienza)
It was the first post-Cold War international crisis. Despite assembling a broad coalition, the U.S. did nearly all the fighting itself. It relyed on high-tech weaponry which allowed the U.S. to prevail quickly and avoid prolonged involvement and high casualties, to avoid being like the Vietnam War. The Soviet Union, while in the process of disintegration, remained on the sidelines.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB39/
This divulges on the Gulf War and its impacts on other parts of the world.
Group 4
Visions of America’s Role
(David Hau)
What was President George H.W. Bush’s opinion on the Gulf War?
The President believed that the Gulf War was the first step in the struggle to create a world rooted in democracy and global free trade. Combining the issues of protecting American trade assets and that of restoring the independence of an occupied country, the Gulf War reinforced American dedication to supporting the flow of goods around the world and protecting the sovereignty of friendly nations.
UNSCR 678, the official declaration of war by the U.S. against Iraq after the invasion of Kuwait.
What were the two main visions of America’s role in the post-Cold War world?
General Colin Powell, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Dick Cheney, the secretary of defense, outlined the two different visions of the future. Powell predicted that the world would be in a turbulent state of uprisings and conflict, and that the U.S. had to clearly define the requirements for intervening in foreign affairs, lest it become a “global policeman.” Cheney, on the other hand, advocated the immersion of the U.S. in world affairs, claiming that, since the Soviet Union had fallen as a world power, it was up to the United States to reshape the world and prevent the return of hostile powers.
Colin Powell:
{http://jonesview.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/colin-powell.jpg}
Dick Cheney:
{http://samuelatgilgal.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/dick_cheney_3x4.jpg}
The Election of Clinton (Rhea Vera)
How did Clinton win the Democratic nomination in 1992?Clinton combined social liberalism, supporting abortion rights, gay rights, and affirmative action for racial minorities, with elements of conservatism, pledging to reduce government bureaucracy and promising to “end welfare as we know it” (a Republican idea. He was a charismatic campaigner who conveyed sincere concern for voters’ economic anxieties.
http://www.4president.org/brochures/billclinton1992brochure.htm
This source provides more information on the policies Clinton brought up for his campaign.
"America is in trouble. Our people are hurting. The rich keep getting richer and the politicians just seem to be taking care of themselves. It's time we took care of our own. If America's not strong enough at home, we'll never be able to stand up for what we believe in around the world. National security begins at home."
- Bill Clinton
What did Clinton do to counter Republican rhetoric?
He urged voters to blame their woes on “welfare queens” and others who cheated honest taxpayers. He also argued that deindustrialization caused rising inequality and the loss of good jobs.
Why was Bush considered unpopular during these elections times?
Bush was not in tough with the day-to-day lives of ordinary Americans. He was weakened when Pat Buchanan, a conservative leader gave a fiery televised speech at the Republican national convention that declared cultural war against feminists, and supporters of abortion rights. This seemed to confirm the Democratic image of Republicans as intolerant and divisive. Bush’s popularity went from 89% in 1991 to 29% in 1992.
Who was the third candidate of the election?
The third candidate was the eccentric Texas billionaire Ross Perot. He attacked Bush and Clinton as lacking economic “know-how to deal” with the recession and the increasing debt. His popularity at one point surpassed Clinton and Bush which showed the dissatisfaction with the major parties. His support gradually faded as election day approached.
Clinton in Office
(megha koduri)
Q1: What had Clinton done differently from Reagan and Bush during his first two years of presidency?
A1: He appointed several blacks and women to his cabinet, including Janet Reno, the first female attorney general, and named two supporters of abortion rights, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, to the supreme Court. He modified the military's strict ban on gay soldiers, instituting a "don't ask, don't tell" policy by which officers would not seek out gays for dismissal from the armed forces. His first budget raised taxes on the wealthy and significantly expanded the earned income tax credit. He obtained congressional approval of NAFTA.
Q2: What was NAFTA?
A2: NAFTA stands for North American Free Trade Agreement, a treaty negotiated by Bush that created a free trade zone consisting of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It Eliminated all tariffbarriers on agricultural items between the United States and Mexico.
Web Source: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/policy/nafta/nafta.asp
Primary Source: {/Users/mkoduri/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg} http://z.about.com/d/usliberals/1/0/R/3/NAFTAlogo.png
Q3: How Did Hillary Clinton factor into Clinton's policies?
A3: Hillary impacted the mjor policy initiative of Clinton's first term. Hillary was a lawyer who had pursued an independent career after their marriage, to address the rising cost of healthcare and the increasing number of Americans who lacked health insurance. Her plan would have provided universal healthcare through large groupings of organizations like HMOs.
Q4: Why did this plan fail?
A4: DOctors and health insuance and drug companies attacked this idea, fearing government regulations that would imit reimbursement for medical procedures, insurance rate and the price of drugs. It was too complex for most voters and vulnerable to criticism for further expanding the unpopular federal bureaucracy.
The “Freedom Revolution” (Crystal Paz)
Why did voters in 1994 turn against the administration?
Voters did this because of how the economy was recovering slowly from the recession and Clintons first two years in office seemed lacking in significant accomplishments.
What happened when Republicans won control of both houses of Congress for the first time since the 1950s?
After they gained control, they proclaimed their triumph the “Freedom Revolution”. And Newt Gingrich, a conservative congressman from Georgia and the new Speaker of House, was behind the whole campaign.
What was Gingrich’s platform?
He made a platform called the “Contract with America” which promised to curtail the scope of government, cut back on taxes and economic and environmental regulations, overhaul the welfare system, and end affirmative action.
In this website: http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html
They go into more detail about Gingrich’s Contract with America and its plans and goals.
For Example:
FIRST, require all laws that apply to the rest of the country also apply equally to the Congress;
SECOND, select a major, independent auditing firm to conduct a comprehensive audit of Congress for waste, fraud or abuse;
THIRD, cut the number of House committees, and cut committee staff by one-third;
FOURTH, limit the terms of all committee chairs;
FIFTH, ban the casting of proxy votes in committee;
SIXTH, require committee meetings to be open to the public;
SEVENTH, require a three-fifths majority vote to pass a tax increase;
EIGHTH, guarantee an honest accounting of our Federal Budget by implementing zero base-line budgeting.
What did the House do once the Republicans saw their electoral triumph as an endorsement of the Contract?
The House approved deep cuts in social, educational, and environmental programs, including the popular Medicare system. Since the president and Congress could not meet an agreement on a budget, the government in December of 1995 shut down all nonessential operations, including Washington, D.C., museums and national parks.
What did Gingrich do wrong in his assumptions about the public and what did this assumption lead to?
He had assumed that the public shared his own ideological convictions but he soon found that they had voted against Clinton, not for the use of the Contract with America. Most Americans blamed Congress for the impasse, and Gingrich’s popularity dropped greatly.
Clinton’s Political Strategy
How did Clinton build his popularity? (Pooja)
He campaigned against a radical Congress, just like Truman did in 1946. He opposed the most extreme parts of his opponents' campaign, while adopting others. He didn't adopt the Democratic Party's stance on liberalism and even stated that "the era of big government is over." He also approved the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed restrictions from broadcasting and telephone companies.
(Akhil Puri)
What did Clinton do in 1996 regarding welfare?
Despite strong protests from many Democrats, Clinton singed a Republican Bill that abolished welfare - or, in other words, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Abolishing welfare was one of Clinton's primary goals, and he succeeded. To replace the AFDC, the government gave out grants of money to the states - alongside strict limits on how long recipients could receive their payments.
{http://libertarianviewpoint.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/welfare_one.jpg} Welfare In Simple Terms
What was Clinton's political strategy called?
Clinton's political strategy was called triangulation by his commentators. This meant accepting and embracing the Republican's most popular strategies while leaving his opponents with positions that were unpopular among suburban middle-class voters. This strategy worked well because the Republicans claims that the Democrats were the party of high taxes and lavish spending were now invalid. Clinton then won the Presidential Election of 1996, becoming the first democrat to be elected for two terms since FDR.
Outside Source: Definition of Triangulation
This source is very useful in describing the concept of triangulation. Bill Clinton placed himself in the "middle" of the two parties using this policy. According to the source, "A candidate trying to utilize triangulation is trying to avoid the pitfalls of placing themselves on either end of the traditional Left-Right political system." By staying this neutral, the candidate avoids being caught up in a political war and avoids making numerous enemies.
Clinton and World Affairs (Matthew Do)
What was Clinton’s primary political interest? Success?
- Clinton’s primary political interest concerned around domestic and not international affairs. The thing was that the United States now indisputably the world’s dominant power, Clinton, like Carter took the steps to encourage the settlement of long-standing international conflicts to and also the to raise the support for human rights to a more central place in international relations. He had relatively mixed success.
What was the 1993 agreement about?
- The 1993 agreement that was negotiated at Oslo, Normandy, in which Israel for the first time recognized the legitimacy of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The Oslo accord seemed to outline a rise to the Mideast peace. But the problem was that neither side was willing to implement them fully. Another issue was that the Isreali governments still continue to build Jewish settlements on Palestinian land in the West Bank (a part of Jordon that Israel had kept during the 197 Six-Day War).
- This New Palestine authority proved itself to be corrupt, powerless, and unable to curb the growth of groups bent on violence against Israel.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO): http://fas.org/irp/world/para/plo.htm
Talked about how this website was founded in 1964 and was dedicated to establishing an independent Palestinian state.
What made these issue so difficult for Clinton to face?
- Clinton found it hard to balance all of these concern for human rights with strategic and economic interests and to also formulate clear guidelines for humanitarian interventions overseas. An example would be the United States that did nothing in 1994 with all the tribal massacres that was happening in Rwanda. In Central America, over 800l people were killed and 2 million refugees fled the country. Carter actually took the lead in negotiations and the Clinton administration in 1994 created the peaceful return to power of Haiti's elected president. The whole issue of balancing and trying to create economic growth was tough on Clinton's part.
The Balkan Crisis
(Alex Chen)
What happen in the Balkan Peninsula in the 1990s?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, countries within in the Balkan Peninsula in the former country of Yugoslavia dissolved into 5 new states. Ethnic clashes began occur between the new countries. In 1992, the Christian Serbs in Bosnia launched an attack against the Muslims and Croats aimed at driving them out. The Serbs conducted, the newly coined, "Ethnic cleansing" against the Croats and Muslims. Such conduct included mass murder and rape. 100,000 Bosnians died by 1993.
How did NATO's role change after the fall of the Soviet Union?
After the fall of their main adversary, the Soviet Union and with it the Warsaw Pact, NATO changed its purpose in the world from one against Communism to one fighting for human rights. In the Balkans, NATO conducted air strikes against the Bosnian Serbs with American airplanes, with additional 20,000 Americans acting as peacekeepers. When a similar thing happen in 1998 with the Yugoslavian and Serbs fighting the Albanians in Kosovo, they organized a two-month long war against Yugoslavia.
Human Rights
(Katrina Torres)
How did human rights play an increasingly important role in international affairs?
Hundreds of nongovernmental agencies throughout the world defined themselves as protectors of human rights and they expanded to include access to health care, women's rights, and rights of indigenous peoples. International organizations monitored how governments treated their citizens and strongly influenced world public opinion.
What happened in response to human rights in other countries?
The Rwandan genocide sentenced the UN-sponsored war crimes prime minister to life in prison. Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic was put on trial for sponsoring the massacre of civilians. It was still questionable whether or not we would become an international system of protecting human rights across national boundaries because even though countries adopted human rights, many governments violated these laws in practice.
{http://wiki.provisionslibrary.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/human_rights_first.jpg}
A New Economy? (Matt Chen)
What was the basis of Clinton's popularity?
It was his success in improving the American economy from the mid 90s to late 90s. Unemployment stood bleow 4%, which was remarkable because it was only in the 1960s that this happened.
Why was he successful?
Inflation did not increase; world wide oil production kept the cost of energy low. Weak unions also made it difficult for workers to raise wages and corporations to increase pricing. Economic growth produced rising tax revenues, so Clinton also produced budget surpluses.
Some Key facts about Clinton's Success
-growth averaged 4.0 percent a year, compared to 2.8 to Reagan's. It went up for 116 months, the most in history.
- created the most jobs. 22.5 million jobs in less than 8 years.
-average family income up to $6000.
-low unemployment
-highest home ownership rate (67.7%).
-lowest inflation since 1960s
-largest surplus: 237 Billion.
To read more visit this link: http://clinton5.nara.gov/WH/Accomplishments/eightyears-03.html
The Computer Revolution
(Francesca Rebosura)
Why was the 1990s a dawn of a “new economy?”
It was a time in which computers and the Internet would produce new efficiencies. In addition, it was a time in which the production and sale of information would occupy the central place once held by the manufacture of goods.
When were the first computers created and what were they like?
Computers had first been developed during and after WWII. They were used to solve scientific problems and do calculations that consisted of enormous amounts of data. These early computers were quite large, slow, and expensive.
http://aptalkutusu.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/eniac-1.jpg
What spurred the development of improved computer technology?
Developments were done because of the space program in the 1960s and the research done for it. Such developments that came about included the miniaturization of parts, which was a result of the development of the microchip.
What was technological advancement transformed America?
The computer transformed America, especially after the marketing for home and business computers done by companies, like Apple and IBM, done in the 1980s.
Web Source: The first computers were called the ENIAC and it was developed in 1946. The Manchester Mark was created 2 years later. Years later, companies would be created in order to make more mass produced and used computers; Apple was one such country. Apple was created by two Californians:, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. They came together to produce products like the Apple I, Apple II, Apple’s floppy disk, and much more. It later began three projects that would greatly affect its future: Sara, Lisa, and Macintosh.
http://lowendmac.com/orchard/05/origin-apple-ii-computer.html
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs: the Creators of Apple
http://www.mac-history.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/steve_wozniak_steve_jobs1.jpg
What was the Internet first developed for?
It was developed as a high-speed military communications network for the military.
How did the computer transform the American workplace and private life? (Pooja)
Computers soon became essential to the operation of businesses, such as clerical work, banking, architectural design, medical diagnosis, and factory production. By 2000, nearly half of all American households owned a personal computer, which could be used for entertainment, shopping, and sending and receiving emails. According to this source the first personal computer was the IBM 610 Auto-Point Computer. It was reportedly priced at $55,000, or it could be rented for $1150 per month. The computer was a large cabinet that contained a magnetic drum, arithmetic control circuitry, a control panel, and separate paper-tape readers and punches for program and data. A picture of what it looked like is also included in the web source.
How is the spread of American culture closely tied to the Internet?
Due to the fact that English emerged as the dominant language on the Internet, the global spread of American culture was accelerated.
What are “netizens?”
They are citizens of the Internet.
Group 5
Global Economic Problems
(David Rasay)
How was the role of America in the 90s similar to that after WWII?
America rose and expanded economically in these two periods. In these periods, other countries around the world were in economic crises, notably Eastern Europe. Once again, America acted as an imperial power, helping these weakened countries around the world.
What advice did Russia take from the Clinton Administration and free market economists in an attempt to get out of a recession?
Russian President Boris Yeltsin presided over a policy of “shock therapy” that privatized state-owned enterprises and imposed sever cuts in wages and in guaranteed jobs, health care, and housing Russians had become used to under communism.
**http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG**
Why was this effort unsuccessful?
Foreign investors and a new Russian business class (many of them Yeltsin’s relatives and cronies, and former party officials) reaped a windfall of profits, while most of the population plunged into poverty.
How was the problem of debt only exacerbated by the International Monetary Fund?
In Asia, a sharp decline of the value of Thai currency occurred in 1997. This was met with bailouts by massive loans from the IMF, which inspired criticism that globalization increased social inequality. Foreign investors had their loans repaid, but receiving nations were required to balance their budgets by stringent cutbacks in public spending, so that the burden fell disproportionately on the poor.
http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/1997/pr9737.htm
In this document, it outlines the specific actions taken by the IMF and what is needed to rebound from the economic decline from the time. However, the most interesting part is the part about what lies ahead. From what is written, they seemed hopeful and confident in the success of the bailout. It is then interesting to note that it seems the burden upon the poor came as a surprise.
The Stock Market Boom and Bust
(Maria David)
::What did economic growth and talk of a new economy spark in the U.S? What did investors do because of this spark?
-It sparked a frenzied boom in the stock market that was reminiscent of the 1920s. Investors poured funds into stocks, spurred by the rise of discount and online firms that advertised aggressively and charged lower fees than traditional brokers.
::By 2000 what did a majority of American households own?
-They owned stocks directly or through investment in mutual funds and pension and retirement accounts.
::What were investors attracted to? What were they and what did they seem to symbolize?
-Investors were attracted to the new "dot coms". They were companies that conducted business via the internet and seemed to symbolize the promise of the new economy.
::What happened to Standard and Poor's index of 500 stocks? What was the NASDAQ and what happened to it's stock?
-Standard and Poor's index of 500 stocks increased 20% or more each year from 1996 to 1999. The NASDAQ was a stock exchange dominated by new technology companies and it rose 500% from 1998-1999.
::What happened on April 14, 2000? What happened to the value of the NASDAQ?
-The bubble burst. The stocks suffered their largest one day drop in history. They did not recover and for the first time since the Depression stock prices declined for three successive years (2000-2002) and wiped out billions of dollars in American's net worth and pension funds. The value of the NASDAQ stocks fell by nearly 80% between 2000-2002.
--->The Nasdaq composite fell another % on Friday the 14th of April 2000 signaling the end of a remarkable speculative high-tech bubble starting in spring of 1997. NASDAQ crash U.S. stocks plummeted Friday, capping off five days of stunning losses that handed the Nasdaq composite index its worst weekly performance of all time and the Dow Jones industrial average its steepest one-session point loss in history.Nasdaq, Dow take nosedive .
::What happened because of the burst? What happened by 2001?
-Stock brokerage firms "downsized" their staffs, state and federal tax revenues plummeted, and technology companies that had expended hundreds of billions of dollars of investors' funds disappeared. By 2001 the American economy had fallen into a recession.
The Enron Syndrome
(jason Chong)
- They secretly used money to pay for the private life of former business leaders, like for food and house, and even a private jet.
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,263006,00.htmlThis article from Time seem to mimic the ideas of the book. It calls Enron a great disaster for everyone involved.
Fruits of Deregulation
(jason Chong)- At the hight of the 1990's who was left to represent the public interest?
- There was no one left to represent the public interest because both the republican government and president Clinton embraced the government policy to retreat from economic regulation.
- How were the governments current actions in regards to the New Deal?
- Many of the New Deal acts were repealed and it was lack of regulation instead of major regulation.
Rising Inequality(Mariel Hernandez)
1. Why is this section called " Rising Inequality"?
Rising Inequality was about the economic downturn in the U.S. by 2000 although average real wages and family incomes began to rise in truth inflation remained below the level in the 1970s. Basically the rich became richer while poor and middle class wages and income decreased. For example, Bill Gates creator of Microsoft and the country’s richest man at the time owned about the bottom of 40 percent of the American population together. In addition the average CEO’s salary was twenty six times the annual income of the regular worker.
2. What happened to the U.S. economy in 2000 concerning oversea and home manufacturing?
The U.S. economy stayed stable but instead of manufacturing in the U.S. many manufactured overseas because the prices were cheaper which in effect lost jobs for middle class and poor. Which enforces the ideals of rising inequality as the heads of the manufacturing company found cheaper ways to manufacture goods the poor and the middle class would suffer.
3. What is the NAFTA? And how do they relate to international manufacturing jobs?
-The NAFTA was the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico and these let goods to travel through their border without tax.
-In relation with economy, with this act an industrial zone emerged south of the U.S. so America manufacturers built plants in Mexico for cheap labor, less safety and environmental rules, which decreased jobs and some companies, were even threatened to close.
4. What happened to unions?
Unions decreased because with the decline of jobs came along with the decrease of the union. And because the union started to fade many workers became part time and many didn’t enjoy fringe benefits such as union contracts, Medicare, or health insurance.
5. What happened to the suburbs by the end of the 20th century?
Suburbia increased about 2/3 of the nations jobs were created in the suburbs. Many didn’t commute to the city as they did before and this also effected segregation in the suburbs it was less segregated in contrast with the past however, segregation between different social classes in the suburbs were still visible.
I decided to go in further research with the whole topic of rising inequality because I thought it was really interesting and I never really heard of this phrase before and it reminded me a lot about the golden age and the couch although it seemed beautiful and affluent it did have problems inside like how there were minor growth during the 21st century but it still didn’t present any progress. And the link talks about the causes of income of Inequality and how to prevent it. http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_ID=13578
Here is a comic about NAFTA and the problems with economy and manufacturing.
Impeachment and the Election of 2000
(Jordan Overshoun-Hall)
Who ran for President in 2000?
Al Gore was the Democratic nominee. He was Clinton's Vice President. His running mate was Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. He was the first Jewish vice-presidential nominee.
George W. Bush was the Republican nominee. He was the governor of Texas and the son of former President, George H. Bush (he preceded Clinton). His running mate was former secretary of defense, Dick Cheney.
How was the election of 2000 one of the closest and most disputed in the nations history?
Both Bush and Gore carried about half of the Electoral Votes and Popular Votes. Gore had more popular votes, and Bush had more electoral votes.
Which state called for recount and how did it affect the election results?
Florida's votes had to be recounted as ordered by the Supreme Court. The recount ended December 12, 2000 and George W. Bush became the president.
What factors could have altered the results?
Democrats blamed Ralph Nader (Green Party), because had he not run, those votes may have gone to Gore. In one county, a faulty ballot caused several thousands of Gore voters to cast their vote to Pat Buchanan (Conservative). Had this mishap not happen, Gore would have been President. In Florida, 600,000 persons who were mainly black and latino had lost their right to vote after being convicted of felony.
http://www.npr.org/news/national/election2000/
The Impeachment of Clinton
(Carissa Quiambao)
What were previous cases from which political figures were charged for sexual misconduct?
Federalists accused Thomas Jefferson of having sexual relations with his slave Sally Hemmings, a charge apparently confirmed by DNA tests during the 1990s. Gary Hart had been driven from the 1988 campaign because of an extra-marital liaison. In 1991, Senate hearings on the nomination to the Supreme Court of Clarence Thomas, a black conservative, became embroiled in
What charge of misconduct got Clinton to be the second president impeached and tried before Senate?
In 1998, it became known that Clinton carried on an affair with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. Kenneth Starr, a special counsel who had been appointed to investigate Whitewater (to be mentioned later), issued a lengthy report containing almost pornographic details of Clinton's sexual acts with the young woman and accused the President of lying when he denied the affair in a deposition for the Jones lawsuit. In December that year, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted to impeach Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice. Early 1999, the vote took place and neither charge mustered a simple majority, let alone the two-thirds necessary to remove Clinton from office.
What were other charges of misconduct bedeviled to Clinton?
In 1993, an investigation began of an Arkansas real-estate deal known as Whitewater, from which he and his wife had profited. The following year, an Arkansas woman Paula Jones, filed a civil suit charging that Clinton had sexually harassed her while he served as governor of that state.
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http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/rrs/lowres/rrsn77l.jpg
What appalled Americans far more than the president irresponsible behavior?
The obsession of Kenneth Starr and members of Congress with Clinton's sexual acts. Clinton's impeachment was considered to be a juvenile escapade to many. Clinton's continuing popularity throughout the impeachment controversy demonstrated how profoundly tradition attitudes toward sexuality morality had changed.
Outside Source: The Clinton Impeachment, a Basic Chronology
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/johnson/clintontimeline.htm
This website contains a chronological time line of the events which led to the impeachment of President Clinton. It beings in June 1995, when 21 year old Monica Lewinsky comes to the White as "an unpaid intern in the office of Chief of Staff Leon Panetta". According to the website, Lewinsky and the President begin their sexual relationship November of that year. It then proceeds to explicate the events involving Lewinsky and Clinton for ever year following the beginning of their alleged relationship. For instance, in 1996 Lewinsky tells employee Linda Tripp of the relationship. 1997 are allegations against Clinton of sexual harassment and the Jones's lawsuit, and marks her last visit to the White House. 1998 marks the beginning of the investigation by Starr, the accusation, and the denial of the allegations by the President. In 1999, Clinton is impeached, then acquitted.
The Disputed Election
(Julia Wrona)Who ran for the 2000 elections?
-Al Gore was nominated by the Democrats with Joseph Lieberman as the first Jewish vice-president nominee
-George Bush was nominated by the Republicans with Dick Cheney as his vice-president
True/false: This was one of the closest election in the nation's history
-True
Why was a demand to recount ballots in Florida?
-There was a widespread confusion at the polls and there were claims of irregularities in counting the ballots. This caused the winner not be known until a month after election day.
How did Bush's brother, Jeb Bush, play a role in the 2000 election?
-Jeb Bush was the state governor of Florida at the time and when the court ordered a halt to the recounting of Florida ballots he was allowed to certify that the Republican candidate had carried the state and therefore won the presidency.
What were the electoral votes for Bush and Gore for Florida?
-Bush carried 255 electoral votes and Gore carried 246 causing the recount of the ballots in Florida and a month of confusion on who won the elections.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_in_Florida,_2000
The 2000 Result
(Eleanor LaBarbera)1. How did the election of 2000 reveal a division in the country?
Bush and Gore had both received around half of the popular vote, but the Electoral College was 271 to 266. It was the narrowest margin since the election of 1876. The Senate had even been spilt down the middle exactly with 50 votes for each party. Bush and Gore had the Southern states and the states of the trans-Mississippi farm belt and the Rockies. Gore won almost all the states in the Northeast, Old Northwest, and West Coast. People who lived in urban areas voted for Gore while people who lived in rural areas voted for Bush. The minorities gave Gore their votes while the whites gave Bush their votes. The women had favored Gore while the men had favored Bush by the same eleven percent margins.
2. Who did the Democrats blame for Bush’s narrow victory?
The Democrats blamed the Supreme Court, Ralph Nader, and bad luck to Bush’s victory. Ralph Nader was running for the environmentalist Green Party and had taken tens of thousands of votes in Florida that could have gone to Gore. The bad luck came in when thousands of voters in one county had a poll malfunction, which accidently had them cast their votes for the independent conservative candidate Pat Buchanan.
3. What was the largest reason for Gore’s loss?
The largest reason for Gore’s loss would be when he could not win Florida due to around 600,000 persons losing the right to vote after being convicted of a felony. The Democrats could not be seen as being soft against crime and had to go along with the lifetime felony disenfranchisement. It hurt the Democratic Party as most of the people affected were minorities who would have voted for Gore. In 2007 the Florida’s clemency board voted to allow a large majority of the state’s ex-felons to regain the right to vote.
Web Source: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-80774814/state-felon-disenfranchisement-policy.html
1. What objections are there to lifetime felony disenfranchisement?
Some scholars believe that this policy is part of racial politics because of the fact that minorities are a majority of the felons. It is believed to aim at primarily taking away voting power from Black and Latino citizens. The election of 2000 highlighted the connecting between state policy and procedural democracy. It was calculated that if only eight tenths of one percent of black felons were allowed to vote in Florida then Gore would have received 538 votes, which would have won him the state and the presidency. There also seems to be no empirical study being done to reveal the ties between state politics and felony disenfranchisement.
A Challenged Democracy
[Ali Giron]Culture Wars (Alexander Moll)
1. What impact did the Cold War have on identity?
a. It renewed the emphasis on group identity and insisted demands for group recognition and power. The 19th and 20th century socialism and nationalism had untied people of different backgrounds in pursuit of common goals.
2. What happened to America’s population?
a. In 2000 the number of foreign born residents living in the US rose to over 31 million or 11% of the population. This was the largest immigrant total in the nation’s history.
3. What happened to women’s roles as immigrants?
a. For the first time, women made up the majority of newcomers, reflecting the decline of manufacturing jobs that had previously absorbed immigrant men. Also, employment opportunities spread in traditional female working fields.
4. What culture made up most of the immigrants?
a. Latinos made up most of the immigrant population, and numbered over 41 million by 2006. They were the largest minority group in the US, but were far poorer than the rest of the country.
5. What was the most dramatic change for African Americans in the 1990’s?
a. The absence of legal segregation and the presence of blacks in areas of American life from which they had once been almost entirely excluded. Blacks now worked in unprecedented numbers alongside whites in corporate board rooms, offices, and factories.**
This picture shows the change in the amount of immigrants just before the 1990’s and other decades. It shows how immigration was on the rise and how this led to the dramatic increase in the immigrant population during the 1990’s.